


Between Shores Near and Far

by PixieRed



Category: Persona 5
Genre: AU, Angst, But Not As Slow As My Others (I think), F/M, Forbidden Love, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-22
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2020-10-26 03:21:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 28,607
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20735402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PixieRed/pseuds/PixieRed
Summary: The ultimate god of battle, Joker, grants a drifting spirit a name, “Makoto.” She enters his clan, struggling to find a place for herself among all the other spirits who aid him in protecting humans from malevolent phantoms.A forbidden love shipfic and Noragami AU. No prior knowledge of Noragami is assumed.





	1. Chapter 1

On six muscular arms it lumbered—a dark mass the size of a two story building. A wide maw stretched across its visage. Eyeballs... so many terrible eyeballs floated within it, their full forms visible in an ever-present and unyielding stare.

A monster.

She ran—her geta pounded against the packed dirt of the road. Her brown locks waved behind her, kept in check only by her braided headband. Her thin white kimono thrashed in the air following the sharp motions of her limbs.

How she arrived at where she was she did not know. The passersby ignored her pleas. They paid the monster no mind.

A sinking feeling welled her chest, different than the burning of her lungs.

They didn't see her.

She wasn't like them anymore.

She was a spirit.

She was no longer living.

Even so... She knew if the monster caught her, she would be consumed by the darkness too. Even if she was just a spirit, even if she no longer had a life to lose, she knew that was a worse fate. And so she ran.

The high-pitched scream of a bird called attention to the cloud-covered skies.

She looked up, finding a man riding upon a giant swan. He wore plates striped with yellow and green. They sat upon his shoulders. They hung from his cuirass. The iron seemed to glow despite the overcast sun.

The ornate but sturdy-looking armor covered him completely save for his head. Where a helmet should have been were unruly black locks that seemed to curl every which way. His gray eyes stared into the monster. Even from the ground she could see his self-assured grin.

Somehow she knew.

This was the face of a god.

He held an unsheathed katana. As he neared, she could observe all the more of his imposing stature. On his back he carried a mace, a bow, and a quiver full of arrows. In the place of his right gauntlet, metal strips ran over his hands, ending in claws. Instead of sandals, he wore metal slippers that curved up to a sharp point. He-

She tripped, falling hard to the ground.

She had been staring too long, not looking where she was going.

As she rushed to pick herself up, the sinking feeling of being too late gripped her stomach.

However, the end that should have been wasn't. The god leapt off his mount and stood between her and the monster. She raised herself up on her thighs and watched. His katana tore right through the dark mass. Its form parted around the blade first and split further as if tearing back from itself. Soon it dissipated.

He had made it seem so easy.

He turned to her. His grin was gone. His eyes seemed to bore somewhere deep.

"I grant thee a name."

The deep timbre of his voice seemed to reverberate through her. She felt frozen in place, as if she couldn't look away.

"My name is Joker!"

_Joker._

One of the Seven Gods of Fortune, the ultimate god of battle and warriors.

He was younger, slimmer than the temples depicted. He appeared as a man in his early twenties.

Joker raised his right arm. His hand had two fingers outstretched.

"Grasping thy true name, I bind thee here."

With those fingers, he began to draw in the air.

"With borrowed name, I dub thee my servant."

She watched, mesmerized by his incantation.

"Thy name answers, the vessel to sound. I call thee as my divine instrument."

It felt strange, like somehow her form was becoming both more solid and less at the same time.

"The name, Makoto."

_Makoto._

A character, deep red like her eyes, floated before her. However, it wasn't "Makoto." Instead...

"The vessel, Queen."

The character embedded itself on her right hand.

"Come, Queen!"

She had never felt something so purposeful, so pure. She was pulled toward him at a speed not humanly possible. She landed on his face, in her new form, a dark cloth wrapped around his head, covering his eyes. His skin was smooth and soft.

She sensed the presences of others, but before she could react, the sensation disappeared. She heard the clangs and thuds of weapons being dropped. The others vanished with them.

Even the plates of his armor fell.

She felt herself becoming damp.

This god... he was crying.

* * *

Joker watched his new _shinki_ from afar. The others were gathered around her, welcoming her to the family. While they smiled at her, he could sense their hesitation, verging on disapproval. He dismissed it. They would get used to her, just like they had the others.

Makoto turned to look at him a few times. Her eyes were bright. Her smile hopeful.

He didn't like it.

It was the same way she looked at _that man_.

He tried to push the thought aside. He couldn't hold it against her. She couldn't remember. That knowledge belonged to him alone now. _God's greatest secret—_the circumstances regarding a shinki's death were known to their master only, sealed within the given name.

Humans were fragile creatures, unable to face the horrors of their own demise. The few shinki who came to know the truth descended into madness, becoming _ayakashi_, the very beings they fought as weapons. Fortunately, by nature, shinki were not inclined to wonder on such matters. Their death was a blind spot, a ghost to them.

"Joker-sama." Shigeto had broken off from the group of shinki. As his guidepost and de facto leader of his shinki, Joker expected it would be him. He turned toward the shinki—a mace as his vessel, an obese and balding middle-aged man as a human. Even if Joker couldn't already sense his discomfort, the way he nervously rubbed his hands together and the trickle of sweat on his brow would have given him away. "Please consider releasing her."

Joker only lifted his eyebrow.

"She blinds you master," Shigeto pleaded. "It's inauspicious. It would be better if you-"

"She's part of our family now," Joker merely smiled. The argument was over. He would never leave a human spirit alone where they could become fodder for ayakashi. Every member of his family was precious.

He glanced over at Makoto.

She smiled at him again.

He could not return it.

* * *

Makoto watched as Joker-sama re-summoned the others. As humans, they wore matching kimono. Joker-sama wore one as well, the pattern more intricate and ornate. His armor from before had also been a divine instrument—a _shinki_ like her. Called by name, they flew to him as vessels.

That armor. The swan. All of his weapons. All of them were shinki like her.

Soon Makoto was the only shinki left in human form.

Joker-sama, once again clad in armor, once again carrying an arsenal, hopped effortlessly on the back of the giant bird, Kiyoto-dono—or rather _Snow_, as her vessel was called.

He turned to her, hand outstretched.

She laid her hand in his. It was large and calloused yet gently gave way to hers. There was safety in the warmth of that hand. How she knew she had just begun to ponder when Joker-sama hoisted her up.

It happened so fast she only had time to be surprised, not afraid.

She landed in front of him, positioning herself to straddle Snow's neck as well. Joker-sama sat right behind her. His arms wrapped around her so she wouldn't fall. Despite his armor and weapons, she felt comfortable and secure. There was something about the way his upper arms seemed to cradle hers, the way his forearms rested at the sides of her waist, that felt just right.

Despite his invitation, Makoto still thought she should try to sit as properly as possible, though she knew not how. It was best to follow his lead. She had never ridden a horse before. It was the first time she had seen, much less ridden, a giant bird.

They rose through the sky, above the clouds where it was clear blue and then higher still, beyond where humans could see.

The heavens. _Takamagahara_.

It was a massive country, lush and green in its fields and mountains, clean and shining in its cities and structures. As they approached a sprawling estate, they began to descend.

When they landed, the other shinki reverted to their human form once again. Makoto was surprised to see several more people, presumably shinki, were waiting just past the gates. They whispered to each other and soon even more appeared.

So many.

A crowd formed around them.

"Welcome to our home, Makoto." Joker-sama had stepped forward, so he was standing right beside her. The other shinki smiled and clapped.

Makoto looked around. She had never lived in such a large or fancy place before, with so many kind people. She turned to Joker-sama, a bright smile forming across her face. She was so lucky. Her god was a successful god.

He smiled back at her, but there was something amiss... his face seemed strained.

Was he disappointed?

He turned away and began walking further into the mansion. Most of the shinki she had traveled with followed. Makoto started to do the same, but was stopped when Shigeto-dono stepped in front of her.

"Hokuto!" the portly man called.

From the crowd of other shinki appeared a small girl in a plain kimono. Her brown hair was done in short twintails, not long enough to descend to her shoulders. While she had the form of someone no more than ten years of age, her expression was sharp. She joined Makoto and Shigeto-dono. "Yes, Shigeto-dono?"

"You'll be responsible for Makoto's training. See her to one of the empty beds," he said, making a shooing motion with his hands. "And escort her to lessons tomorrow."

"Yes Shigeto-dono," Hokuto nodded. The man left, heading in the same direction as Joker-sama and the others. She turned to Makoto. "Follow me."

Makoto did as she was told. They took off in the opposite direction.

The inside of the estate was even more luxurious than she anticipated. The hallways and doors had flawless wood and washi. Each room she passed had finely woven tatami. The courtyards were well-manicured with thoughtfully placed stones, clear koi ponds, grass, bamboo, shade trees, and open areas. A bridge with exquisitely carved railing patterns connected to an open gazebo at the center of a larger pond.

When they were away from the crowd of shinki, Hokuto spoke again. "So what are you?"

"What... am I?" Makoto repeated.

"What is the form of your vessel?" Hokuto seemed unfazed by Makoto's confusion. "You're not a weapon right? Shigeto hones the weapons personally."

"Oh," Makoto's voice shrank. "I'm a blindfold. I overheard Shigeto-dono say it's inauspicious because I blind master..."

Makoto felt a pang of guilt knowing she was rather... _useless_. Joker-sama hadn't seemed to mind though, letting Shigeto-dono's words pass over him with nothing but a wan smile. Her god was a kind god.

"Eesh," Hokuto huffed through grit teeth. "That bossy old lumphead probably meant for you to overhear. Just because we're not weapons doesn't mean we're worthless. We were chosen by Joker-sama just the same. Don't let it get to you."

_Why were weapons so important?_

_And what was Hokuto?_

_Would it be rude to ask?_

Makoto thought for a few moments before speaking again. "Does Joker-sama need weapons because of those monsters? Is that what gods do? Fight monsters?"

"Monsters?" Hokuto paused. "Oh, you mean _ayakashi_. Yeah, a proper god needs shinki in case an ayakashi attacks him. Joker-sama is special though. There is no god of battle stronger than him. He wields more shinki than any other god."

"So these... ayakashi... attack gods?" Makoto wondered aloud.

"If they're nearby. They seem to be attracted to the scent of gods and shinki," explained Hokuto, not looking back as she continued to lead Makoto through the walkways. "Ayakashi exist in the near shore with the humans. They feast off of human negativity, corrupting them so they can feed further. Humans don't notice them, but they're the cause of many ills."

"Near shore?" asked Makoto.

"That's where the humans live," said Hokuto. "This is the far shore."

"Oh," said Makoto. There was so much to learn.

"Anyway, to answer your previous question, gods do what they want," Hokuto continued. "Whatever they choose to do is just. They're gods after all."

"And Joker-sama...?"

"Joker-sama hunts ayakashi over on the near shore," said Hokuto. "Because ayakashi cause human suffering."

It was as Makoto thought, Joker-sama was a benevolent god. It was no wonder he was so revered.

A few steps later, Hokuto spoke again. "You've never been another god's shinki, have you?"

"No," said Makoto.

"I figured," the diminutive shinki replied, turning back to Makoto and looking her up and down. Hokuto would be adorable if she acted her apparent age, but Makoto guessed she was far older. "We'll need to find you some real clothes too."

Makoto wrapped her arms around herself as she walked, feeling naked in her thin white burial clothes.

They continued down the same hallway. Most of the rooms to the right were closed. To the left was another courtyard. It was relatively plain compared to the others, mostly open dirt and grass with a few stones and bushes.

Hokuto stopped at the door furthest down, the very end of the massive estate. She opened it, revealing a large, empty room.

"This is our room. We share it with four others. You're lucky. There are enough futons and space for eight," she gestured towards the closets. "The first one is for bedding. We'll carve you out some shelf space of your own in the others. Do you need to rest now?"

It had been afternoon when Joker-sama first named her. The pinks and blues above the clouds signaled twilight was only beginning.

"Not yet," said Makoto.

"Then let's go visit the clothiers." Hokuto shut the door and spun quickly on her heels. Makoto followed. As they passed by more rooms, Hokuto continued her explanation. "You'll be assigned chores in the morning. We non-weapons maintain the estate. If you have a skill, you might be assigned something more specific, like the shinki we're about to visit. Only if you want to of course."

Makoto pondered Hokuto's statement. She searched for something that might be useful, something she had confidence in. "I'm pretty good at maintaining ledgers."

"You can read already?" Hokuto's pace seemed to slow.

"Y-yeah," Makoto wondered if she had over-pledged. Perhaps the other shinki had more formal training. "Um, I can cook too."

"Hm." Hokuto took a few steps. "You might be able to help managing the books at the shrines. Cooking won't be necessary however."

"Eh?"

"Are you hungry?" Hokuto's question was almost a statement.

"No," said Makoto. Come to think of it, it had been a while.

"We can eat. We can even enjoy the food. However, we don't need it," Hokuto explained. She took a few more steps. "I can't tell if you're dense or just new."

The smaller girl didn't seem to mean anything by it, but Makoto felt uneasy. Another thing she had confidence in was her intelligence. Sometimes, at least. "Y-yeah... I really haven't had time to think since..."

_Since when? When had she-_

The thought flittered away.

"Then after we get you some clothes, let's stop," said Hokuto. "Outside of chores, we shinki are free in how we spend our time unless Joker-sama calls on us."

Hokuto's voice dropped as she ended her last sentence. Her gaze drifted down.

It seemed Joker-sama did not call often. Perhaps he only called on weapons. Makoto regret not being one.

She took a deep breath.

Surely there was something she could do to help.

* * *

"Everything a god does is just. That is because they are a god." Shigeto-dono paced across the room. He wore a simple mustard-yellow kimono with a dark red obi that seemed to disappear under his gut.

Makoto sat seiza next to Hokuto at a dark wood table just big enough for the both of them. They weren't the only shinki there though. The room was filled with similar tables and shinki behind them. Shigeto-dono ran such seminars regularly for the benefit of not only the new shinki, but as a refresher for the old as well.

"However," Shigeto-dono continued. "A shinki is human. A shinki can sin. Should a shinki sin, it is the shinki's master that must bear the responsibility of that sin."

_Bear the responsibility?_

What did that mean?

Makoto looked over at Hokuto. The smaller girl was resting chin in her hand, her elbow planted on the table. She looked bored.

"Committing a sin will sting a shinki's master," Shigeto-dono walked through the center aisle, staring hard at Hokuto as he passed. "Severe cases will result in blight. Shinki who blight their master must be purified and released."

_Sting? Blight? Purify?_

The other shinki seemed to be following along. Makoto considered raising her hand, but Shigeto-dono did not seem the type who permitted interruptions, especially from non-weapons such as herself. She would have to ask Hokuto later.

"It is the duty of shinki to not commit sin," Shigeto-dono's voice was heavy with authority. Hokuto brought a hand to her lips, half-covering a large yawn. "It is the duty of a shinki to always protect their master."

_Protect their master._

Makoto gazed upon the character etched onto the back of her hand. Her name. Given to her by Joker-sama. She balled her hand into a fist. Protecting Joker-sama—this she could understand.

"What are you going to do? You're a blindfold," Hokuto whispered, a bemused smile across her face. There was no negativity behind her eyes or within her tone. 

There was truth in her teasing though. Makoto pursed her lips together.

"Should a pot lid be saying such things?" Shigeto-dono had stopped right by their table, his tall and wide stature towering over the small girl.

Hokuto's smile soured.

* * *

There was one thing that all shinki could do... or at least _should_ be able to do with practice: draw a borderline.

Makoto raised her index and middle fingers. She extended at her elbow, making a sweeping motion as her extended fingers pointed to the ground.

Nothing happened.

"Again," said Hokuto. She was sitting on the walkway, her legs dangling into the courtyard. "Stop worrying so much about your aim. Concentrate."

After Shigeto-dono's lecture, Hokuto had walked her back to open area by their room and demonstrated the technique. A proper borderline would cause light to emanate from the ground, defining a wall between the shinki and whatever spirits they deemed, be they ayakashi, shinki, or even gods. Makoto had discovered that first hand, unable to cross Hokuto's boundary.

Makoto drew another line with her fingers. Again, nothing happened.

"With a borderline you can protect your master from evil spirits," Hokuto explained further as Makoto continued to struggle. Her legs kicked idly. "It won't hold forever, but it will give you time to get into a more favorable position or escape if need be."

_Escape if need be._

"So there are ayakashi that even Joker-sama might not be able to handle?" asked Makoto. The skin between her eyebrows puckered as she frowned.

"Ayakashi... and other gods," Hokuto seemed to be staring deep within her. "Joker-sama is strong but if the situation is unfavorable..."

"I see," said Makoto. Joker-sama had killed the ayakashi that was chasing her so easily. She had thought him invincible. He was a god after all. However, she had not considered the other gods or other creatures of similar strength. She bit her lip. She didn't want that. "Would would happen if... if the situation was unfavorable?"

"Joker-sama could die," Hokuto's stare seemed all the more intense.

_I don't want that._

Makoto looked back, wide-eyed, her mouth hanging open. 

Hokuto sighed. "Joker-sama is a well-known god, prayed to by many people on the near shore. He would reincarnate."

"Ah. That's good," Makoto held a hand to her heart and smiled. Shortly thereafter, her hand slipped down as did her lips. "I don't think I'd want that though. I'd prefer he never died."

She rather not have her god experience pain, but not only that... there was something else she felt but couldn't grasp.

"All of us feel that way," Hokuro hands were clasped together, like she was praying. "A reincarnated god has no memories of their past self."

* * *

As the days passed, Makoto settled into her life at Joker-sama's estate. She rarely saw her master. He was often out hunting ayakashi with the strongest of his weapon shinki. When finished, he would return to his room.

A few times he came to her work area, where she and several others maintained the ledgers. Makoto was apprenticed under another shinki who had been with Joker-sama for over ninety years.

The visits were only to check on status. He would speak to the senior shinki when he came through. Usually it was Shigeto-dono, and not her master, however.

The same scene played out once every few days: There was a quiet in the room as the door would open. All her fellow bookkeeping shinki would glance over, hoping to see their master and hoping their disappointment wasn't noticed when it was Shigeto-dono instead.

It had been another such day.

Makoto tried not to let it bother her. She was fortunate to be Joker-sama's shinki. That should be enough.

However, the evening was no different. Her eyes drifted towards the sky, searching for a giant white swan. It hadn't taken her long to get a sense of when her master would return from a hunt. It didn't take much effort to happen to be near the entrance when he did.

All she could offer was a greeting and a smile when he passed by. He acknowledged her and smiled in return, just like with the other shinki... though it always felt like he was quick to turn away from her.

Perhaps he found her unattractive.

Unattractive and _useless_.

"Dour faces attract the god of calamity you know," said Hokuto, affecting a nagging tone more befitting of an older body. It contrasted with the look of her face in her hands, making her cheeks seem all the more full and child-like. She was perched on the walkway as usual, watching Makoto practice.

As her assigned instructor, Hokuto spent an hour each day training her.

As her roommate, mentor, and _friend_, Hokuto was the first person she went to for anything, whether she had questions about their world or amusing stories from her job or excitement about the latest scroll she'd found in the library.

Makoto was lucky that Shigeto-dono had assigned her to Hokuto.

She held out her two first fingers and drew a line. A faint light appeared from the dirt. It was wobbly rather than straight and its glow only extended centimeter off the ground. Hokuto could easily break it. Still, it was something.

Makoto exhaled. She couldn't be confident one would form at all yet. It was nice to start the day's session with a win.

"Hmmm," Hokuto hopped off the walkway and bent down, tilting her head nearly parallel to the ground, inspecting Makoto's work.

"Oh, you can drawn borderlines now," Joker-sama, flanked the rest of his hunting party, looked on from the other side of the courtyard. It was odd for them to land there rather than in the larger field by the front gate.

Furthermore, he was early.

She watched Joker-sama as he and the others approached. Shigeto-dono was frowning at her as usual, probably disappointed in her slow progress. Kiyoto-dono seemed to glide. With her long classically-cut hair and grace, she was what Makoto imagined a princess must be like. Fumito-dono, Joker-sama's armor, had a care-free smile as always.

_No._

There was something off. Her eyes zeroed in on Fumito-dono's elbow. His left arm was cleaving too much to his side. Staring at it, it almost seemed to be glowing.

_He's hurt._

_So that's why-_

Joker-sama stopped in front of Makoto. She bowed her head, cursing her distraction as she scrambled for a response. "I-I can draw one s-sometimes now."

She felt color rising to her cheeks. She hated having to admit she was still useless.

"My apologizes master," Hokuto ran up beside her. She bowed too before looking up at Joker-sama. "As Makoto's teacher, it's my responsibility to train her. I will see that she perfects it."

"Thank you Hokuto," Joker-sama smiled. "I know I can leave new shinki to you. Please keep up the good work."

As he and his party walked off, Hokuto looked on, beaming. She spun around to Makoto, eyes still wide and bright.

"Thanks for covering for me," said Makoto.

"Don't apologize when you could be practicing!" Hokuto stood up straighter and shook her finger at Makoto. Her chin was lifted into the air. Though she was trying to look stern, her excitement at Joker-sama's praise couldn't be contained.

Makoto knew, she felt the same way.

She resumed her practice in earnest.

Her next borderline came out much like the first, wobbly and small, but present. Hokuto examined itagain, advising her to move her arm faster. "Confidence first. Aim will come later."

As Makoto repeated the action, Hokuto returned to the walkway. She held her face in both hands, elbows on her thighs, watching. "You know Makoto, I don't plan to be stuck back here forever. Some day I'm going to be Joker-sama's guidepost. I'll advise him way better than that Shigeto."

Makoto looked over to her friend.

It was a nice dream.

She willed herself to smile, but it did not come.

"Hurry up and get better," Hokuto raised her head, one of her hands balling into a fist. "As my student you'll be my second in command!"

* * *

Once Makoto managed to draw her borderline with consistency, she began working on power and speed. Hokuto was able to easily break through her early efforts, but with practice, her barriers were becoming properly sturdy.

A chance discovery in the library had enlightened her to a few more techniques shinki could use. She began practicing those as well.

"Bind!" she shouted, two fingers outstretched in Hokuto's direction.

"Ghh!" The sound came out through grit teeth. Hokuto was stuck in place, mid-motion in performing her own bind. Her limbs shook as she tried to break Makoto's technique. After a minute of struggling, she uttered a muffled, "Yield."

Makoto released Hokuto. Her friend's limbs relaxed as she righted herself, her hands coming to rest at her sides.

"You win again," she said.

"You should have created a borderline instead," Makoto helped her teacher save face, even though it was just the two of them. "You're much faster than me with those."

"No way," Hokuto crossed her arms. Her lower lip jutted it out. "I'm going to be Joker-sama's guidepost. I'm going to need everything I have to protect him. Plus, losing to my pupil is embarrassing."

"It's not your fault Shigeto-dono never taught you," said Makoto. "It's hard when we have to figure it out ourselves."

"He probably doesn't think we need to know because we're not weapons," Hokuto kicked a small rock laying in the dirt. A puff of dust followed it. "Or maybe he doesn't want us to know. I wonder if the other weapons even know. You said that scroll was pretty buried, right?"

"Right." Makoto had only been looking for something she hadn't already read when she found it in the middle of several stacks that were awaiting shelves to be built. The library wasn't a priority in the estate. While all shinki were taught to read, few availed themselves of the collection. Many of the scrolls weren't exactly light reading either. Makoto had spent an entire afternoon cross-referencing to interpret the one in question. "Though, I'm sure if Joker-sama thought it necessary, it would be taught. He doesn't ask of us unnecessarily."

"Maybe." Hokuto crouched by the ground, staring at the rock she had kicked. "I wish he would though."

"Mm." Makoto ran her left hand over her right, her fingers brushing over her name. Joker-sama hadn't called it since it was given. As much as she told herself that maintaining the ledgers was an important job, the haunting feeling that something was missing would not go away. She needed to become more useful. "Hokuto... do you think there might be more techniques? Ones not in the library?"

"I don't know," Hokuto stood up again. She continued looking at the ground. Then, she jerked her head up and looked at Makoto. "You could try visiting Sae-sama. She and Joker-sama are on good terms. She's got a huge library!"

"Are you sure?" Makoto took half a step backwards. She had not left the estate since she arrived nor met any other gods, much less one as well-known as the god of scholarship. Her eyes shifted from side to side and she worried her lips together. "I haven't gone out before..."

"Then it's about time," said Hokuto. She closed the distance with Makoto, grabbing the sleeve of her kimono. Her words came fast. "I'll go with you. Consider it part of your training. You need to be prepared. What if Joker-sama asked you to retrieve something from outside?"

It was true that Makoto had seen many of her fellow shinki move in and out of the estate, some on business. (Others were pursuing their own interests in their free time.) While Joker-sama was unlikely to ask _her_, some of her seniors in bookkeeping might...

But...

In part, she wanted to stay just in case Joker-sama called for her.

She knew it wouldn't happen though.

She was useless to him as she was now.

Hokuto was right. It was time.

"Tomorrow." Makoto's voice came louder than normal.

"Eh?" Hokuto looked up at her.

"We'll go tomorrow after I finish with the ledgers," Makoto took a deep breath. "We'll go visit Sae-sama."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First chapter initially posted for Day 7 of Makoto Niijima Week 2019: Throwback. In particular, this is the AU prompt from 2017. You can see my fics, art, and figure photos from both 2018 & 2019 collected in this [Twitter Moment](https://twitter.com/i/moments/1084575503887912960). I even tried drawing something for this work!
> 
> This is my first attempt at a long-form hard AU. I’m very excited to get to combine two character loves, Makoto and Kazuma. It’s delicate right now because of Makoto’s position and naiveté but I hope you will read on and discover why I like both characters as they grow and why Makoto is more than a “servant.” I can't wait to drop the honorifics. (We’ll see more romance in this version too.) Also, I hope I’m doing a good job communicating the world without boring or losing everyone. 
> 
> Those familiar with the series might notice that I’ve given up the use of multiple readings of the names to instead use the name/code name pairs that celebrate the Persona 5 universe. I hope that’s not too distracting.
> 
> \- Pix ([Twitter](https://twitter.com/shypixiered) | [AO3 Works](https://archiveofourown.org/users/PixieRed/works))


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story thus far...
> 
> Japan, Edo Period
> 
> A wandering spirit is granted a name, "Makoto," by Joker, the ultimate god of battle. She enters his clan as a shinki, a divine vessel. By naming her, Joker receives all the memories of past life, which she cannot know lest she become an ayakashi—a malevolent spirit. 
> 
> The form of Makoto's vessel, "Queen," is a blindfold. Joker's guidepost shinki, Shigeto, believes it inauspicious. Not of use in battle, she works as a bookkeeper at Joker's estate while also being mentored by Hokuto, a shinki who appears as a small girl. Despite her vessel being a pot lid, Hokuto aspires to one day become Joker's guidepost. 
> 
> Makoto works to learn how to draw a borderline, a technique to create a barrier. She discovers that shinki can learn other techniques, but Joker's library offers little guidance. Hokuto convinces Makoto to visit the library of Sae, the god of scholarship, and this is where we return to the story.

Makoto and Hokuto stood beneath the large red torii, the entrance to Sae-sama's dwelling. While Joker-sama's estate was befitting of a large, rich family, Sae-sama's home looked more like a shrine—a large shrine—but a shrine nonetheless. A main building stood at the center with a few smaller ones that could be seen offset further back. Though big for its design, the collection of structures was more modest than Joker-sama's.

Surrounding the shrine were fields shaded by plum trees, spaced just far enough apart to give both a sense of space but also the protection of shade.

It was not long before a woman appeared, clad in red hakama and a white kusode. 

A shrine maiden. 

It seemed fitting, given the rest of the decor. 

Makoto shifted her gaze to Hokuto, looking for a sign. The small girl shook her head ever so slightly.

This was not Sae-sama.

The woman approached at a deliberate pace, traversing the stone walkway between the doors to the shrine and the gate where Makoto and Hokuto stood. She had a round face, full lips, and black hair tied neatly at the back of her neck. Every few steps her spectacles would shine in the light.

"Do you have business with Sae-sama?" the woman asked once she was standing only a few paces from the shinki.

"Not in particular, no," said Hokuto. She held her chin up and jaw firm, showing no sign of worry or weakness. "We're Joker-sama's shinki. I'm Hokuto. This is Makoto. But we're not here on official business. We were hoping to study at your library."

The woman closed her eyes, the smallest of nods indicating she had heard Hokuto's request. When she opened them again, she spoke. "Follow me."

The two shinki did as requested. 

They were led through the double doors of the main building. Everything was neat and pristine inside. There were several large rooms, as if ceremonies might actually take place there. Makoto wondered if gods followed similar traditions to humans.

It wasn't long before they arrived at the library. Makoto had been expecting a closed off room, but instead it seemed to just spring into being. Where once they had been walking through a main hall with rooms and corridors branching at the sides, now everything before them were filled shelves with a few tables set in between. The collection contained not only scrolls, but bound books as well. 

Makoto stared wide-eyed, trying to absorb the full scene before her, but it stretched wide and deep, past her field of view. She had known the god of scholarship would have a bigger collection, but she had failed to truly comprehend its magnitude.

A light swat on the shoulder broke Makoto from her trance. She looked over to Hokuto. The small shinki was nodding her head in the other woman's direction. 

"I said," the woman repeated, her volume elevated. "Is there anything else either of you need?"

"N-no," Makoto stammered. She felt the color coming to her face.

"Then I'll leave you here," said the woman. "Leave the books on the table when you're done. We'll re-shelve them. It's a straight walk back to the entrance when you are finished."

"Th-thanks," said Makoto. She forced herself to focus on the woman before her, despite the draw of the shelves.

"Yes, thank you," repeated Hokuto. "If someone should ask, who should we-"

"It's Usami," said the woman, before turning and retreating towards one of the other rooms.

Makoto returned to examining the scene before her. It might take all evening just to get a true sense of its breadth. Would she be able to come again? Sae-sama's shinki didn't seem concerned with why they were there after all.

She turned to Hokuto with new appreciation of the suggestion to leave Joker-sama's estate.

"So what do we do?" asked Hokuto.

"Let's get a sense of what's here." Makoto turned to the right and started walking. They were going to need to search systematically, starting from one end and going to the other. As she walked, a thought occurred to her. "Would Joker-sama mind if another god's shinki came to visit our home?"

"It happens from time to time," Hokuto said, walking alongside. "Usually its formal business with Shigeto and the others."

It made sense. There were plenty of shinki in the family—no impetus to make outside friends. While the the estate was vast, Makoto could not think of any resource other shinki would want to visit either. Political relationships would of course go through Joker-sama's guidepost. "Does Joker-sama greet them?"

"Shigeto usually leads them to an audience," said Hokuto. A few more steps passed. She spoke again, a hint of mirth in her tone. "Oh, are you wondering if we would see Sae-sama?"

"Yes." Makoto smiled to herself. She _was_ curious about the god of scholarship after all. Who wouldn't be?

"She's known to spend an unusual amount of time on the Near Shore—at her main shrine in Kyoto," Hokuto explained. 

Curious.

Makoto wondered if it was Sae-sama's presence that made her shrines were so popular. Before she could ask, however, Hokuto spoke again.

"Unlike the other gods, her guidepost isn't a shinki but a plum tree spirit. That's where her true body is rooted."

"So she can only consult with her guidepost there?" asked Makoto.

"No, no... her spirit travels but they say Sae-sama does it out of care."

Sae-sama sounded like a kind a god as well.

_It would be nice to meet her._

Once the two shinki reached the end of the library, Makoto began browsing the shelves. There were so many titles. She wanted to run her fingers along them, as if touching them would connect her even more. 

History.

Nature.

Politics.

Mathematics.

Literature.

Agriculture.

Medicine.

It was hard not to pull out book after book. They all looked so interesting.

She selected one, a scroll that appeared to describe insights on shinki, collected by a name she did not recognize. While it appeared to be anthropological in content, Makoto supposed it might have information about skills. If not, it would surely be helpful to know.

Hokuto followed Makoto, occasionally plucking out a scroll and giving it a brief look before she put it back. Most of the time she wasn't looking at the shelves at all. Instead, she seemed to focus more on their surroundings. When Makoto's arms became full with materials, she offered to shuttle them to a table. 

Not even through the first aisle of shelves and Makoto knew she had already picked out more than she could read in an evening. She wandered back towards the center of the library, finding Hokuto with her chin on the table, arms outstretched before her, the corners of her lips drooping. 

"I'm sorry," said Makoto as she lay her armful of reading material on the table with the previous ones. She took the seat beside the girl. "I should have been more mindful you were waiting."

"It's okay," Hokuto lifted her head and pushed herself up to a proper sitting position. Her eyes shined and she balled her hand into a fist. "We're going to find something that'll put Shigeto in his place after all." 

"Hm. Maybe..." Makoto placed the dictionary she had picked up between the two of them and unrolled the beginning of one of the scrolls. "Start with whichever you like."

Hokuto nodded, selecting one of the other scrolls.

The first scroll Makoto looked through made only a passing mention of shinki techniques. Apparently there was one to induce sleep. She would have to keep that in mind when searching. Her next selection was a book detailing proceedings where a shinki had sought help from other gods regarding disputes with their master.

Makoto looked up, staring at the shelves across from her. 

A god's actions were always just, but what happened when gods disagreed?

While the book she held mentioned the use of shinki techniques, it did not describe them either. She would have to put the thought aside and the book along with it. She hoped to be able to find it again, should she make another visit.

Makoto's third selection, a finely bound tome on philosophy, was thick with words of which she was unfamiliar. She found herself reaching for the dictionary often. She sometimes glanced at Hokuto as she did, discovering her friend was still on her first scroll. Rarely was the small shinki even looking at it.

The sixth time Makoto noticed, it seemed that Hokuto was watching another shinki search through the shelves. A few had passed through while they were there, each wearing shrine clothes. Unlike Joker-sama's clan which spanned a wide range of apparent ages, Sae-sama's shinki all seemed to be adults. 

"You could try another instead," Makoto leaned in, trying to catch the other girls' eyes.

"Sorry," Hokuto turned, scrunching up one of her cheeks and pulling her shoulders in. "It's hard keeping at it for so long. I don't know how you do it."

"I picked them out," Makoto offered a smile. She ran a finger along the side of her braid, her other fingers combing through the loose strands. "I guess they're only of interest to me."

"No, no... I _really_ want to help-" Hokuto began to protest.

"You are," Makoto nodded. She pointed to the yet-unread collection on the table. "Why don't you skim through them until you find one you like?"

Hokuto glanced at the books and scrolls on the table before returning to look at Makoto. She bit her lip. "Okay..."

The next book Makoto searched chronicled battles between the Japanese gods and those of other lands, with their side being victorious and assimilating the gods they defeated. The focus however was on the gods themselves, with the shinki mostly acting as weapons, not using techniques. It was interesting but Makoto put it aside. There were still many to get through.

Her search continued. There was the scroll on shinki behavior, the book cataloguing rare weapon forms, a chronicle of a particularly bold shinki who entered and left the service of eight different masters. Each had seemed promising but did not have the information Makoto was looking for. If only she had time to truly enjoy them.

She looked over to Hokuto. The smaller girl would flip through a book, the pages breezing by too fast to catch but a word or two, and then set it aside and choose another. Sometimes she picked a book she had already looked at and stared at a page for a bit before once again rifling through the rest. 

It was like watching a child push vegetables around on a supper plate.

_Like a child..._

Makoto glanced at one of the scrolls she had skimmed. It had said something about shinki who died before adulthood having trouble progressing past some of their child-like ways. Was this why she hadn't seen any young-seeming shinki among Sae-sama's? 

Hokuto was someone Makoto looked up to, relied on, but could her current difficulties focusing be a limitation of her apparent youth? Maybe she-

"It's getting rather late," said Hokuto. She was looking past Makoto, to the windows running perpendicular to their table.

Makoto turned, finding the sky cast in pinks and blues of a setting sun. She looked back at the table, finding the lamps lit. She vaguely recalled another of Sae-sama's shinki lighting them, but she hadn't given it much thought as she had dived back into her book.

"We should return," Hokuto leaned towards Makoto, her eyes wide and her head bobbing shallowly, awaiting a response.

"Oh. Right," Makoto looked at the outlaying of books and scrolls on the table. She had taken too much. She bowed her head, a silent apology to the shinki who would re-shelve them. 

Makoto stood up. Hokuto followed. The two shinki started walking back to the entrance. 

Usami-san approached them as they neared the doors. "Did you find what you were looking for?"

"No..." Makoto forced a conciliatory smile. She didn't want the other shinki to feel bad. "Would it be okay if we came here again?"

"Of course," the shinki smiled in return.

* * *

Steam rose from the surface of the water, shrouding the hot spring in a gentle white mist. The rest of reality was somewhere beyond. Joker felt most relaxed cradled in the soothing heat, apart from the bustle of either shore.

He rolled his shoulders, one after another, enjoying the stretching of his muscles and the alternation of hot water and cooler air as he breeched the surface. 

There were no more ayakashi than there were normally. None he had vanquished had been stronger than normal either. Yet fatigue seemed to cling to him more easily, as if he were the one being haunted by a malignant spirit.

A ridiculous thought.

He slipped lower into the water, letting it bob against his chin. He closed his eyes, taking deep breaths as he focused only on the feel of spring's heat flowing around him, through him, as if it could take with it the tightness, the snarls of fiber, he seemed to carry.

"Joker-sama." It was Shigeto. Joker slowly opened his eyes. 

Shigeto had never once stung him—a perfect shinki, free of sin. While never the cause of blight, his guidepost had surely given birth to quite a few knots. Joker imagined one in his shoulder winding itself more angrily at the sound of the shinki's voice. He looked up. Shigeto was standing a few meters from the water's edge, halving the distance between the spring and porch just outside of Joker's personal suite.

The shinki spoke once he had his master's attention. "I have completed the rounds. Nothing is amiss."

"Thank you Shigeto." Joker's eyes were only half open.

_Nothing is amiss._

It was good to hear.

"Revenue is up at the shrines, likely due to the conscription order underway."

A shame. War would only birth more ayakashi.

"Construction on the east wing extension has completed. Furnishing will come next. Nothing else to report."

Joker offered a shallow nod, his chin dipping below the water.

Carpentry. Ledgers. It had been a while since he surveyed their work. 

How long had it been?

"I'll check it out tomorrow," said Joker. "And visit bookkeeping as well."

"That won't be necessary, I-"

"I have faith in your assessments," Joker smiled as he sat up. The water line fell to beneath his shoulders. "But there are things I can only understand if I see them for myself."

"You needn't bother yourself with these trifling matters master," Shigeto was clasping his hands together. "Save your energy for the hunts."

Joker knew that look. He could sense Shigeto's unease. The chorus of emotions of all his shinki were a constant to him. When not particularly strong they barely registered, but face-to-face, especially for a shinki as expressive as Shigeto, it was hard to ignore. Once one shinki was in focus, the background gestalt seemed all the more present.

He couldn't let it show.

"I have plenty of energy," Joker grinned. 

* * *

Makoto swept her arm in an arc towards the ground, two fingers extended. A line was drawn across the courtyard. It glowed bright.

Hokuto was on the other side of the formed wall. These days she stood while Makoto practiced, needing to examine the results far more often. The smaller shinki approached the barrier but kept more distance than she once had. She looked through the glowing wall and grinned. "Nice work. Was that where you meant it to be?"

"Almost." Makoto ran a finger along her braid before clasping her hands together in front of her thighs. "I didn't mean for it to go through the bush."

Though a borderline had no detrimental affect on the landscape once dissipated, it seemed distasteful to run through one of her brethren's neatly trimmed handiwork like that.

"I'll find some wood blocks for next time," Hokuto held her chin in her hand. "You've got the basics down. Time to work on your aim."

Makoto nodded. The borderline faded.

"Let's stop here," Hokuto continued. Lately their practice sessions had shortened to half an hour, in part because Makoto didn't need as much guidance and in part because she was filling her time with other pursuits.

"Thank you for your time," Makoto bowed. When she raised her head, she was smiling. "I'll be heading to Sae-sama's now. Would you like to join me?"

"Maybe next time," Hokuto was also smiling, but Makoto recognized there wasn't much force behind it. They both knew what the answer would be, but it seemed impolite to not at least extend the invitation every now and then. "Find us some good skills! And don't stay out too late."

"I'll try."

* * *

Sae walked through her home in long strides. On her right, Lala, spirit that she was, glided silently behind her. On her left, Kawakami matched her pace.

(The shinki had done little to hide her sigh or her grumbling about how "troublesome" this late-night trip to the library was, yet when Sae dismissed her, she followed along anyway. For all her affected complaining, Kawakami was a shinki with unassailable work ethic. Her vessel, "Literature," was a finely-crafted naginata, Sae's strongest weapon. They were safe enough in their home however, so some of Kawakami's impetus for lingering was probably the woman's own thirst for knowledge.)

On most nights Sae adjourned to her room, especially when returning this late, but tonight she was compelled to research and ruminate. A visitor at the shrine had prayed for wisdom regarding a complicated legal matter. It had been in Sae's thoughts ever since.

It was amazing how humans, in their short little lives, seemed to develop all of these quandaries.

Upon arriving at the expanse of shelves, where the home gave way to the library, Sae's attention zeroed in on an unfamiliar sight. A young woman, clad in a dark blue kimono, was sleeping. Her cheek rested on the table top, dark brown locks kept only partially in check by a braid crowning her head. Before her were two open books and a flickering lamp.

"Oh my. What's this?" Lala covered her mouth with a hand, but the corners of her smile and the arches of her eyebrows betrayed her amusement.

"A spirit looking for a master?" Kawakami shrugged, her voice just above a whisper. She rolled her eyes and picked up one of the books from the stack on the table. "I suppose this means she passes the interview. A little young for our clan though."

"No," Sae's gaze fell to the mark on the woman's hand. "She belongs to someone else."

She looked over the books and scrolls upon the table. One of the open volumes appeared to be on purification techniques. The other was a dictionary. Among the closed tomes were historical and legal texts, nature logs, and even a few fictional pieces. It was a strange collection indeed. A small smile crept up Sae's lips.

"Mathematics." She called, adjusting her volume to be mindful of the sleeping shinki. Light swept towards her, coalescing in the shape of an abacus in her hand. The finely carved, painted, and lacquered beads were organized cleanly one on side.

**_Yes, Mistress?_** The voice reverberated in her thoughts.

It took only a moment for Sae to release the shinki. The abacus became light once more, reforming as the woman standing before them. Usami.

"Who is this?" Sae looked past Usami, towards the visitor.

"Ah, that's one of Joker-sama's. Her name is Makoto," said Usami, her tone clinical as usual. "She's been coming a lot lately. She always takes more than she can read."

"Doesn't Joker-sama teach his shinki any manners?" Kawakami crossed her arms over her chest. "Overstaying her welcome _and_ causing needless work?"

Sae smirked. While she didn't take quite the same umbrage that Kawakami did, Joker could be a bit of a brat. She'd tease him for this later anyway.

"Shall we wake her and send her home Mistress?" asked Usami.

"So late at night?" Lala tilted her head, placing her hand against her cheek. Her tone dripped with offended concern but the sparkle in her eye spoke of mischief. "What if something were to happen?" 

"What are you suggesting Lala?" Sae kept her voice flat. The night was getting long for games.

"It seems a shame to wake her when we have the spare rooms," Lala floated between Sae and the shinki. She spread her hands out in front of her and stared at Sae, waiting for a response.

"Very well," Sae brought her fingers to the bridge of her nose. There was no need to argue over something so trivial and she supposed she was curious about this studious little shinki. She turned to her own. "Usami, if you could..."

"Yes Mistress."

* * *

Makoto dreams were a jumble of the truths and stories she had read the night before. Despite not making a whole lot of sense, she found herself disappointed as she awoke to discover they weren't real. 

Why did shinki need sleep anyway? Did this mean sleep was required for the soul, not just the body? Makoto supposed that made sense. 

She turned to her side, wondering if Hokuto was still in bed. Both had the day off, but it was already bright. However, she did not find her friend, or any of her roommates. 

She was alone in an unfamiliar room.

Makoto scrambled to her knees, looking around for any sign of where she was. 

What happened?

She took a deep breath and thought about the night before. She remembered parting ways with Hokuto to visit Sae-sama's library as usual. She remembered browsing the next set of untouched shelves and picking out a few promising books and several others that just seemed too interesting to pass up. She remembered reading about parts of Japan she didn't get to travel to in life, about methods of constructing perfect shapes with only a few straight edge tools, and about a battle with foreign gods where Joker-sama's prowess had been pivotal.

He and his shinki must have looked even more brilliant than the first time they met. If only she could fight with him...

Makoto shook her head. She couldn't let herself get distracted. What happened after that? What happened after she left?

...

Had she left?

...

She had _not_ left.

Makoto inhaled sharply, her chest rising. She felt her skin becoming hot.

She had _not_ left. She must have fallen asleep in the library. Surely all of Sae-sama's shinki knew by now. Did Sae-sama? Fortunately she was not expected at work (one of the reason's she had stayed so late in the first place), but what would Hokuto say? She needed to go out and apologize and then go home and apologize some more.

But first, she needed to clean up the mess of a futon and blanket beneath her. Would they want it put back or would they want it washed? Perhaps she could just make it look neat and ask later.

She righted and smoothed the futon before standing up. Just as she did, the door to the room slid open.

Standing outside were Usami-san and another woman Makoto didn't recognize. Both wore shrine uniforms, meaning the other person was likely a shinki too. She was slightly taller than Usami-san, with wavy brown hair that ended at her chin. Her eyes were fixed on Makoto, as if she suspected her of ill intent.

"I see you're awake," said Usami-san. "Sae-sama would like to see you."

_The god of scholarship would like to see her._

"Uh, y-yes!" Makoto bowed, her eyes wide through the entire motion. Standing straight again she looked between the two shinki, sputtering out words rapidly. "I-I apologize for last night I-" 

The other shinki made a dramatic sigh as she folded her arms. "Let's not keep Sae-sama waiting."

"R-right!" Makoto bowed again and started walking towards the door. The taller one began walking down the hallway as she approached. Makoto followed. Usami-san stayed behind her. 

There was little a shinki could do against a god, especially a shinki who only new how to draw a borderline (and not particularly well), but Makoto supposed Usami-san and her colleague didn't know that. She would want to protect Joker-sama the same way.

The shinki led her to the east side of the main building. They opened double sliding doors, revealing a large room with flawless lacquered cabinets, artful wall hangings, and plentiful cushions for entertaining. In the center sat a woman with sharp eyes and shimmering silver hair that fell past her shoulders. Clad in black shouzoku, her fair skin seemed all the more luminant.

Behind her, the other side of the room opened to a modest porch, revealing more of the same carefully placed plum trees that greeted visitors before the estate. Standing by the open sliding shouji was an older, matronly woman wearing a purple kimono with purple hair to match. 

_She must be the plum tree spirit._

"Please sit down," Sae-sama gestured to the cushion across from her.

Makoto took one last look around as she lowered herself to the floor. Usami-san and the other shinki were standing by the door, like guards. 

"Thank you for inviting me. It's an honor," Makoto mustered every formal-sounding thought she could. The last thing she wanted to do was embarrass Joker-sama.

Thankfully Hokuto had briefed her on etiquette when they first visited. For example, while shinki were supposed to be polite, it was considered poor form to bow to a god other than one's master. She would have surely made the mistake otherwise.

"Usami tells me you've been visiting almost daily," Sae-sama bore a kind smile. It did not make her any less intimidating. She sat with perfect posture. Her speech felt even and natural. Everything about her seemed perfect.

"Y-yes," Makoto managed to catch her face before it cringed at her own stutter. She was Joker-sama's shinki. She had to at least _seem_ like she had some pride. How would Hokuto act? "I hope that isn't a problem."

"Not at all," Sae-sama's smile broadened enough that her eyes formed crescents. "A library is meant to be used."

"I think so too!" Makoto sat a little straighter and her eyes lit up. Sae-sama's eyebrows raised a hair. Ah. Too excited was no good either. It was just that... it would be nice if her fellow shinki felt the same way back at the estate. Maybe then they would have a bigger library. "Um... what I mean is... you have such a wonderful collection."

_That didn't even make any sense as an answer, Makoto._

She smiled, as if that would somehow cover it up.

Sae-sama continued speaking as if both sides of the conversation moved as smoothly as hers did. "I noticed you had the compiled reports of the last hundred years of shinki arbitration on your table. Did you read them?"

"Only the first few," Makoto tilted her head down and pressed her lips together. It suddenly felt very much like she _should_ have read them all.

"What did you think of the second case, the one where a shinki asked the heavens for release from their master?" Sae-sama's palms rested on her thighs, symmetrically placed. It made it feel all the more like an examination.

In the report, the shinki was a dutiful and powerful weapon, but abhorred the violence he was party to. His master did not want to release such a useful shinki. The shinki did not want to go so far as to misbehave and sting his master, especially given his pacifist tendencies. The heavens ruled in favor of the god, offering the shinki no relief.

Makoto couldn't imagine Joker-sama ever binding a shinki in such a way, despite their contract. She couldn't imagine any shinki ever asking him to be released either.

"Um well, I'm still new to this world and I still have much to read, but..." Makoto brought her left hand up to her head, running her index finger along her braid before dropping it back to her lap. "I disagree. Maybe it's because I am a shinki that I didn't like it, but it seems that if gods are born from the wishes and beliefs of humans, that though one god may oppose one human, the organization of gods should act to preserve human wishes not mired in sin and not contrary to the wishes others. I think this was one such wish."

"Interesting," said Sae-sama. Her face betrayed no judgement of Makoto's answer. "How do you reconcile this with the fact that everything a god does is just?"

Makoto had also come across this paradox in her reading, several times in fact. She shifted her eyes downward, not really looking at anything in particular. "A god cannot sin. That is what is meant by 'everything they do is just.' The fact that arbitration exists, and that gods may battle each other, indicates that gods disagree and that in the constructs of the Far Shore, they may be wrong."

It seemed to Makoto that whatever was meant by 'just' was something beyond even the society of gods.

"Constructs. I see." Sae-sama's lips closed to a brief enigmatic smile before evening to a neutral position again. "Are you having a disagreement with your master?" 

"No! Not at all," Makoto looked at Sae-sama with wide eyes and waved her hands open-fingered in front of her. She thought she heard a chuckle coming from behind Sae-sama, but did not have time to think about it further in her rush to respond. "Joker-sama is a benevolent master."

Makoto smiled, the image of her master so clear in her mind.

"So are you here researching anything in particular?" asked Sae-sama. "Or are you reading for pleasure?"

"A bit of both," her eyes wandered again. She _should_ be more focused. She bit her lip and ran a finger along her braid. "I was hoping to learn some skills beyond drawing a borderline, but there's so much to learn about the world, I sometimes get a little distracted."

"Skills beyond a borderline?" Sae-sama prompted.

"Like binding another shinki," Makoto turned back to her host. "My vessel is a blindfold. It's not befitting a god of battle. I thought maybe if I learned more skills, I could better protect my master."

"I see," said Sae-sama. "And what have you learned so far?"

"I read about a skill that induces sleep and another that conceals, but I haven't been able to perform either successfully," said Makoto. "I haven't found any others yet."

"Oh." As the utterance left her mouth, Sae-sama's lips spread into a broad grin. "Kawakami will teach you."

"What?! Mistress!" It was the other shinki who guided Makoto, the one that came with Usami-san. "You can't be serious!"

"Of course I'm serious," Sae-sama lifted her chin to match eyes with the standing shinki.

Kawakami-san continued to protest. "Who will protect you-"

"It will only be a few hours a week. I rarely leave the shrines anyway and I _do_ have other shinki," Sae-sama dismissed Kawakami-san's concerns. 

Makoto found herself waving her hands before her again. "Um, I don't want to impose-"

"Not at all," Sae-sama turned back to her. "Despite her protests, Kawakami places teaching among one of the most important activities of scholarship. She takes it very seriously."

"But she's-" Kawakami-san tried to interrupt.

"Someone interested in learning." Sae-sama's lips closed to calm smile. It reminded Makoto of the way Joker-sama would sometimes end conversation with Shigeto-dono.

"Yes Mistress." Kawakami-san did little to hide her sigh, but when Makoto turned around to look at her, she was bearing a small smile. 

"We'll work out a schedule," said Sae-sama. She smiled again. "Please continue to visit at any time."

* * *

Joker strolled towards the library. The woodworkers among his shinki had recently built new shelves, enough to house his current collection. He had thanked them when they had displayed their work in the shop, but had yet to see the installation. Shigeto had handled that one alone, insisting Joker use the time to rest. 

It had been right after a hunt and had seemed reasonable at the time, but he couldn't only hide in his spring, even if he had been feeling rather _off_. 

There was something... something just outside his ability to name... that left him ill-content. 

He show no sign of blight however. His skin was clear as always. That left something external, yet his patrols had overturned nothing out of the ordinary. He would have to remain vigilant.

Stepping into the library, Joker took in the smell of aged paper and ink. Some were records created by shinki in his clan. Others were gifts or offerings. Some dated back to his prior self. He remembered reading them when he was newly reincarnated.

As of late he did not have the energy to read. Hunts and management took up most of his time. 

A shame.

Few shinki seemed to partake either. While they were all taught to read, for some it did not come easy and even to those that did not struggle, the habit of reading did not take root. His former self must have had some fortunate shinki.

The sound of paper rustling caught Joker's attention. It seemed he wasn't alone. He walked in the direction of the noise—the far corner where the new shelves were.

Turning from the aisle in between the sets of shelves, he found one of his shinki, Makoto, with several scrolls nestled under one of her arms. Her other arm was reaching for the top shelf. With the tips of her fingers she slid a scroll atop the others in that division. At her feet, dangerously close to slipping under her raised heels, were a few more piles. 

He should have realized it would likely be her. She had once been fortunate, until...

Joker pushed the thought out of his mind. "Do you need some help?"

She jerked up, her whole body lifting in one quick motion. She nearly dropped her scrolls, arms scrambling to keep them safe as they slipped down.

A hint of a smile crossed Joker's lips. How could Shigeto argue against taking in more shinki when they were each so endearing in their own unique ways? "I didn't mean to startle you."

"No, i-it's alright," Makoto turned to him, eyes wide and bright, smiling broadly.

He hated that smile, so full of unearned and naive adoration, blind to whatever was in front of it.

His lips fell downward as he turned away. 

"Um... " her voice wavered. "Th-thank you for your concern. I-I can handle it though. No need for you to bother. There are just a few more shelves to go."

Yes. Just the high ones.

_It's not her fault._

Joker inhaled deeply through his nose and turned back around. Makoto was staring at some spot on the floor, running her thumb along the outside of one of the scrolls.

She noticed him not long thereafter. This time, the smile was more forced. Her lips barely curled. "Really. It's okay."

Drawing a scroll from the collection she held, Makoto lifted herself on her toes, tilting the cylinder to slide into the shelf.

"No it's not." Joker wrapped his hand around the raised scroll, staring her right in the eyes. She released it to him, not breaking his gaze. There was no smile at all this time. Eyes wide, mouth slightly open—it was more a look of surprise and wonder.

He placed the scroll in the proper place and then extended his hand, gesturing for another. She complied. Together, they silently made efficient work of the bundle she had been carrying.

When her hands were free, Makoto crouched to the floor and gathered up several more scrolls. "These go into the shelf on the right. It's chronological."

Joker nodded and they continued with their system. She handed off to him, sometimes with directions if the destination had changed.

It wasn't long before they had put everything in place. 

"Th-thanks." She was looking down again, hands clasped together, worrying her thumbs against the sides of her hands. "I didn't mean to take up your time like that."

"I was here to see the new shelves," he said, revealing a wisp of a grin that she likely did not catch. "I certainly had the opportunity to examine them closely."

"I'm relieved... and," she looked up at him, with an honest smile this time, one that seemed to really see him. She looked prettier that way. "Thank you. It was a big help."

It was short-lived however. She took a deep breath and soon she was looking at him as she had before, the same expression she showed to _that man_.

"If there's anything I can-" she began.

"It's fine," he cut her off. He nodded to her before heading towards the exit. "Have a nice evening."

* * *

"It won't work unless you have confidence in your superiority to the target," Kawakami-san folded her arms in front of her. "Try it again."

"Yes..." Makoto didn't meet her instructor's gaze. How could she possibly be superior to Kawakami-san?

"I see you wibbling," Kawakami-san's sighs always seemed so exaggerated. Makoto was beginning to wonder if they were real. "If you can't believe in the superiority of yourself, at least believe in the superiority of your cause."

_Superiority of my cause..._

Makoto pressed her lips together, taking a deep breath through her nose.

_Protect Joker-sama!_

Slicing her arm through the air, she pointed at Kawakami-san. "Bind!"

A shining wall appeared between them.

Kawakami-san smirked. "Not bad, but you still have to work on speed."

It was the first time the other shinki had blocked her. Usually Makoto's attempts were ineffectual enough without the barrier. She stared at Kawakami-san's borderline, mouth slightly agape.

_Progress!_

Makoto had been learning new techniques and practicing mastery of the ones she had already studied for months under Kawakami-san's guidance. 

She was still practicing each day with Hokuto too. While her borderline still required work, more and more of that time was spent trying to teach her friend what she had learned instead. Makoto wasn't as effective a teacher as Kawakami-san however. Furthermore, Hokuto would always coax her towards visiting Sae-sama, saying she would practice more in private. Makoto wondered if Hokuto might be embarrassed that-

"How wonderful!" Lala-san's praise interrupted Makoto's meandering thoughts. The tree spirit had both her hands clasped together. Makoto wonder when she had arrived. She didn't usually watch their lessons.

"Lala-dono," Kawakami-san nodded. "I take it this means Sae-sama has returned."

"Yes, things are slow at the shrines today," said Lala-san. "Thankfully."

"Convenient." Kawakami-san crossed her arms again as her eyebrow rose.

Lala-san didn't acknowledge her. Instead, she glided over to Makoto. "How about we break for tea. We noticed you've been reading more arbitration reports. Sae-sama would love to hear your thoughts."

Makoto knew that "hear your thoughts" was more of an interrogation, but it _was_ nice to have such discussions with someone. Sae-sama was intimidating, but the fact that she didn't need to placate Makoto's nerves was surely a sign of respect. She could be warm and kind too, encouraging Makoto whenever she worried over her progress. Meeting with her was always a treat.

Furthermore, even though Sae-sama didn't judge her responses or tell her whether she was right or wrong, Makoto felt more confident in her knowledge just by putting it into words. She looked over Lala-san's shoulder at Kawakami-san, her eyes wide with the question.

"It's fine." Kawakami-san made shooing motions with her hand from the corner of her crossed arms. A trace of a smile appeared on her face.

"Great, let's go!" Lala-san started floating towards Sae-sama's room. 

Makoto followed, mentally preparing herself. Sae-sama would often invite her when she came home early. (It seemed the shrine traffic was highly variable.) Even if it happened frequently, she reminded herself that she _was_ meeting personally with a _god_. 

If only she could see Joker-sama so regularly.

She looked back at Kawakami-san. Was it really okay for her to monopolize so much of another god's time?

Sae-sama's other shinki didn't seem to mind though. In fact, it was getting to the point where Makoto felt just as comfortable with Sae-sama's shinki as she did with her colleagues maintaining the ledgers. They were all so friendly and supportive. She was no longer feeling like so much of an imposition.

Perhaps it was because Sae-sama had a much smaller family, only fifteen shinki or so, that they could so easily share time with an outsider. 

Or perhaps... perhaps these shinki they were just better, more giving people than Makoto... 

Sae-sama's sliding doors were open when Lala-san and Makoto arrived. The god sat on a cushion just inside, two perfectly crafted cups on a table beside her. She smiled that same knowing smile she often bore. "Please, have a seat."

Makoto did as asked. She picked up the cup nearer to her, holding it between both hands and taking in the light aroma of the tea.

"How are your studies progressing?" Sae-sama usually started their conversations with that question. 

"Quite wonderfully!" Lala-san interrupted. She was hovering on the porch, just outside the doors. "Makoto forced Kawakami to defend for once."

"I see," Sae-sama's eyes shifted in Lala-san's direction before returning to Makoto with an enigmatic smile. "I'm sure Joker will be pleased with your progress."

_That would be nice._

Makoto knew she was supposed to smile but only the words came. "That's good to hear."

"What has he said about your endeavors so far?" Sae asked as she lifted the teapot to refill her cup. 

"Ah..." Makoto's eyes drifted down. Her hands made fists on her thighs. "I... I haven't told him."

"Ooooh, a secret?" Lala-san was peeking around the sliding door, her eyebrows raised and her fingers over her lips. Sae-sama turned briefly, giving her a look.

"It's not really a secret," Makoto drew her shoulders in closer to herself. "It just hasn't come up. Joker-sama is very busy and..."

_I wouldn't want to bother him._

"And?" Sae-sama's chin dipped along with the pitch of her voice.

"It's nothing." Makoto looked up. 

"It doesn't sound like nothing." Lala-san was now standing only a meter or so behind Sae-sama. 

Makoto's lower lip began to twitch. She couldn't say anything that would make Joker-sama look bad. However, she still didn't full grasp the norms of the Far Shore. Maybe she shouldn't have said anything at all. The months of having tea with Sae-sama, of practicing with Kawakami-san, of greeting Usami-san as she made her way to the library... she had become too familiar, too unguarded.

"Is that brat mistreating you?" Sae-sama's eyes narrowed.

"No! Not at all!" Makoto waved her hands frantically before her. It was worse than she thought. She began speaking rapidly, her volume rising. "We're all well-fed, housed, and clothed and we're free to do what we want. We divide up the chores. It's fine. Everything's-"

An image of Hokuto, glaring into Shigeto-dono's back, flitted through Makoto's mind.

The last sentence came out quietly.

"Everything's fine." 

The was a dull silence until Lala-san spoke again. "How often do you see your master?"

"Um..." Makoto brought her fingertips to her lower lips, looking down as she thought. "Not all that often..."

Now that she spent less time practicing in the courtyards at home, she caught the hunting party's return far less frequently.

"He spends most of his time hunting ayakashi," Makoto felt compelled to explain. "And I'm a blindfold, so I'm not very useful..."

"And this worries you?" Lala-san's eyes were big, inviting.

"I just wish I could do more." The corners of her mouth were downturn. Images of her master, memories of their interactions, swirled in her mind. "Sometimes, the way he looks at me... he seems disappointed, like he's only tolerating me. Even among the non-weapons..."

Sae-sama and Lala-san were watching her. Were they concerned for her? 

It was kind of... nice.

Joker-sama would never look at her-

No.

She had said too much already.

Makoto took a sharp breath. "Um... It's probably just in my head. Joker-sama is a good master."

* * *

Joker sat upright on the cushion, clad in layers of formal kimono. Behind him, his sliding doors were open, revealing his private spring, white mists reflecting brightly in the morning sun. Before him, a table was set with a fresh pot of tea and a beautiful plate of confectionaries, fashioned to resemble plum tree blossoms.

As tired as he was lately, there was no reason not to do things with style.

Across from him sat Sae. She sipped tea from a cup held carefully, one hand around its body and the other beneath it.

"It's been a while," he remarked.

"It has," she replied. She set down her cup, looking over his bedroom. "This place seems even bigger. How many shinki do you house now?"

Numbers seemed so impersonal. Joker merely smiled at her. "Indeed, my family has grown."

"You seem to have some excellent craftsmen among them," Sae skewered one of the namagashi, examining the sugar-flower closely before tasting it.

"I'll let them know you thought so." Joker watched, waiting for her to finish her snack.

Sae had come alone, entering his home and making for his audience like an arrow, fast and true to its course. Not even her tree spirit accompanied her, much less her normal retinue of shinki. 

In turn, Joker had dismissed Shigeto, who usually was by his side when he had guests.

Something was up.

"How do you manage so many? How do you keep them all happy?" Sae placed the wooden skewer back on her plate, once again turning her attention to the tea.

"I see to their needs," said Joker. While he rarely saw the need to speak excessively, the strangeness of the visit cautioned him to be extra careful. He didn't break gaze with Sae and kept his tone even. "And I give them the freedom to follow their interests."

He couldn't quite make out what she said next. Sae turned her head to the side, gazing upon some wall hangings. Her words seemed to evaporate into the air. It sounded almost like, "I wonder if that's enough..."

He didn't like being toyed with. It was time to get to the point. "What did you come here for Sae?"

"Give me Makoto." It was like a mallet landing its strike upon the ground, forceful and final in its position.

His face scrunched inward. So, she was after his shinki, his _family_. 

It didn't sit well.

Just what was she up to? And why Makoto?

It didn't matter.

Just the thought of it was abhorrent.

The temperature seemed to rise.

He'd never give up one of his family.

"No."

"Why not?" Sae's stare was unwavering. He knew it would be an argument. She was serious. "She is more suited to my clan. She comes to my library almost every day."

"You're not entitled to every shinki who likes to read." Joker's hands were clenching his knees.

"She is wasted here Joker," Sae pressed on. "She's a lowly clerk. You have plenty of shinki. Stop being so greedy."

Greedy? _She_ was the one who wanted to take _his_ shinki.

He took in shinki regardless of their age at death. He took in shinki regardless of their vessel. How could that be considered greed?

"Each of my shinki is precious." He glared. How dare she imply otherwise.

"Are they?" Sae's eyebrows raised to punctuate her question. "When is the last time you called her name? What use is a blindfold to a god of battle? With me she has a chance of becoming something else, of hearing her name." 

"I call for my shinki." It came through grit teeth.

He did call them. All of them. It may have been a while for some. How long had it been? How fast did the days-

"Yes. When you name them." Sae's voice dripped with disapproval. "You can't just save them and ignore them. Humans don't work that way. She'd be happier with me"

Ridiculous.

His shinki were happy.

His family was happy.

Why did she have to be so irritating?

"You-"

"Give me Makoto, Joker." Sae placed both of her hands on the table, leaning in. "She'll have a home. Someone who calls for her. You're not going to. You can't fight with a blindfold on."

"Oh?" He'd show her. He was the ultimate god of battle. A smirk formed on his face. He leaned in to meet her. "We'll see about that."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope the pre-chapter summary was helpful and at the right level of detail. If so, I'll probably keep doing them. Also, I hope I'm still explaining enough of the Noragami world for people to follow.
> 
> Here's a drawing I did of [Sae (and Lala I suppose?)](https://twitter.com/ShyPixieRed/status/1198663357085016064) (Twitter).
> 
> My apologies for the delay. I went over a month without a day I didn't spend the vast majority working. When I was working on this chapter early Saturday morning, Baki asked what I was doing. When I said "fics" he put his hand on his chest and said "Oh thank god, I thought you were spending all day writing for work again." Things will probably calm down a little, but it always goes in waves. I keep telling myself this is what success looks like, but I wonder...


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story thus far...
> 
> Japan, Edo Period
> 
> Makoto is a shinki, a divine vessel, serving the strongest battle god, Joker. The form of her vessel, "Queen," is a blindfold. Joker's guidepost shinki, Shigeto, believes her to be inauspicious. Not a weapon like his more frequently called-upon shinki, she rarely sees her master. In hopes of learning new techniques to make her more useful, she and her mentor, Hokuto, a shinki with the appearance of a young girl, visit the library of Sae, the god of scholarship. 
> 
> Sae takes a liking to the studious and intellectually curious Makoto, who starts visiting the library frequently and training with the shinki there. Considering Makoto a better fit for her clan, Sae asks Joker to give the shinki to her. Joker is incensed at her suggestion. Sae argues Makoto would be better off with her because Joker will not call her name as he cannot fight with a blindfold on. Joker accepts her challenge and this is where we return to the story.

Makoto swept the fallen leaves in the courtyard outside her room, the sleeves of her kimono tied up and out of the way. Hokuto was scrubbing the wooden walkway with one of their roommates. Inside, two more roommates were dusting. Ever since their room had filled with the full retinue of eight shinki, weekly cleaning had become a quick chore, one they could complete while still retaining most of the afternoon.

It would have been wholly unremarkable if not for the arrival of Joker-sama and several of his regular hunting party.

Their master took long, purposeful strides down the walkway. His face was set with his lips tight and his gaze locked... seemingly on her.

Shigeto-dono was trailing after him, his large mass seemed to teeter with each step.

Taking a more leisurely pace, Kiyoto-dono, Fumito-dono, and Kento-dono followed.

Hokuto was on her feet in seconds. However, before she could even greet Joker-sama, he spoke, a self-satisfied smile forming across his face. "Makoto, why don't you join us today?"

"Eh?" Had she heard him correctly?

"Master!" Shigeto-dono's brow was furrowed. His hands were up by his chest, his fingers curled forward. "Queen is a _blindfold_. She would only be a burden. You can't fight blind!"

"Who says I can't?" Joker-sama smirked, raising his eyebrows as turned back towards Shigeto-dono and the others.

"Master!" Shigeto-dono pleaded.

Behind him, Kiyoto-dono started giggling into the back of her hand. "We're going to fight blindfolded!"

Fumito-dono and Kento-dono looked on, perplexed by the joke only their compatriot found funny.

"S-sorry," Kiyoto-dono choked out between laughs. They increased in intensity, becoming punctuated with snorts. Her long black locks shook with each one. She began slapping her thigh with her other hand. Who knew the most elegant beauty in the clan could behave in such a way?

"Master, please!" Shigeto-dono seemed unfazed by Kiyoto-dono's disruption.

"Consider it practice," Joker-sama shrugged, grin still plastered across his face. "We might have to fight blinded some day."

"It's one thing if it happens in a fight," Shigeto-dono argued. "It's another to charge into battle that way. She can't even draw a borderline."

"I can." Makoto held her right fist in front of her chest, her other hand still holding a broom. She took a step forward, looking between Joker-sama and Shigeto-dono. Both had turned toward her. "I can draw one now."

Joker-sama looked back at Shigeto-dono once more. "See? She'll be fine should she revert."

Makoto hoped that would be the case. She wasn't completely confident in her borderlines, but didn't want to cast doubt before their master, especially when Hokuto had worked so hard training her.

"So," Joker-sama turned to her once more. "Are you coming today?"

Makoto hesitated. She might be able to draw borderlines, but blinding Joker-sama, while he was in battle... was that really-

A tug at her sleeve brought her attention to Hokuto. The small girl was standing on her tip-toes, dragging Makoto down to whisper an admonishment in her ear. "Makoto, is your name just a decoration? Go protect your master!"

Makoto opened her eyes wide and took a deep breath. Hokuto was right. She clenched the fist with her name more forcefully. This is what she had been training for.

_Protect Joker-sama!_

She took a step forward, pressing her lips together as she summoned her determination. "I humbly accept your invitation."

"Then it's settled." Joker-sama grinned even more broadly. A small laugh escaped through his grit teeth. With his eyebrows narrowing, he looked almost devious.

Makoto looked back at Hokuto. Her friend nodded, jaw set. Makoto would be carrying the hope of both of them.

"Snow." Joker-sama began his call right there in the courtyard.

Light emanated from beneath Kiyoto-dono's obi, likely the location of her name. The rest of her seemed to sway into light, re-forming next to their master as a giant white swan. The bird knelt down, lowering her head and wing to let Joker-sama upon her.

"Junes."

Fumito-dono became light as well, starting from his shin. His smile was the last to be lost to the brightness. Comet tails came forth, circling Joker-sama to become his armor.

"Bonds."

Kento-dono seemed to move the fastest, soon resting at Joker-sama's hip as a sheathed katana. Perhaps it was his prematurely silver hair that made his transformation seem quick, or maybe this was just the speed of the vessel believed to be their master's strongest.

"Principal."

Shigeto-dono on the other hand seemed to carry weight, carry force, even as a beam of light. It communicated the strength of his vessel, a heavy mace with spikes evenly spread around its smooth head.

Joker-sama looked at Makoto. He closed his eyes with a small nod. Was he giving her time to prepare? When he opened them, he called her name.

"Queen."

It felt as though she was being pulled through her core to the name on her right hand. It didn't hurt however. Instead, it was like running as fast as she could, before fatigue could catch up. It was like a full body stretch after a long sleep. It was like dropping all excesses and cleansing away what was foul. It was like having total faith in one's purpose, unweighted by doubt.

In an instant she was with him, with _them_.

A lifting sensation.

Snow was taking to the skies, her large wings beating in powerful strokes.

Queen was aware of the feel of Joker-sama's thick locks upon her, his smooth skin beneath her, the bridge of his nose, and his delicate eyelids. However, beyond her blindfold vessel, she maintained a sense of her human form. She could see her hands and behind them a dark void.

There was still something more.

She could also see _the sky_. She focused further, glancing down to the horizon and back up across the clouds.

_So vast._

It was not unlike the first time she rode Snow.

That time, she was just Makoto.

This time...

"Alright! I can still see!"

Fumito-dono's voice caused Makoto, if that's who she was in the void, to jump. She spun, finding not just Fumito-dono, but the others as well, even Kiyoto-dono.

"As can I," Kento-dono had his arms crossed before him.

"Me too!" Kiyoto-dono raised an arm in the air with a hop, her long black hair flouncing as she did. Her eyes were scrunched into crescents and she smiled broadly.

"Of course you can see," Fumito-dono shook his head. "Snow has eyes of her own."

Makoto stared at them. She brought her fist over her chest. "Everyone..."

"Oh. This is new to you," said Kento-dono. He took a step towards her, dropping his arms to his sides. "When our vessels are close enough to Joker-sama, we can communicate with him, together like this."

Makoto looked around. _Joker-sama is here too?_

She did not find his form.

"We're attuned to his senses," continued Kento-dono.

"That's why I'm surprised we can see right now," Fumito-dono added.

"I can still see when he drops Bonds," Kento-dono opened his palms in a shallow shrug.

"Hmmm," Makoto brought her hand to her chin. She could sense herself as Queen in the world. She could sense herself as a spirit, in whatever space they occupied now. Like Junes, Queen was worn rather than wielded. Was this why it was hard to separate her attunement to Joker-sama's senses?

"Master," Kento-dono called. "Can you-"

"I can." Joker-sama's voice seemed to be all around them. She could sense his mirth, feel the expression he was making as though it were her own. It was like he was everywhere at once in the void. "This is going to be easy."

"We got fooled." Fumito-dono put his hands on his hips. "You knew this when you named her."

"To the contrary," Joker-sama's voice still sounded amused. "I must have been pre-occupied."

"Um... it might have been my fault," Makoto worried her fingers together. She recalled her thoughts when she was first named and the feel of her vessel upon Joker-sama, but she did not recall seeing anything. "Maybe I was too confused at the time..."

A terse grunt brought Makoto's attention to Shigeto-dono. He had been standing apart from the others, not even looking in their direction. "A blindfold that doesn't even serve its purpose."

Makoto gripped her hands together tighter. Even if she wasn't a hindrance, she was still rather useless...

"Nervous?" Fumito-dono had moved next to her, leaning down to her level, his voice soft and quiet.

She considered lying, biting her lip as she thought about what she might say. There was no hiding it though. She confirmed his guess with a few quick nods.

"Everyone is their first time. If anything happens, we'll help you out!" Fumito-dono grinned. "Just calm down, you wouldn't want to after Master's health. Remember, we're all here with you."

"R-right!" Makoto took a deep breath, balling her hands into fists at her sides.

_Protect Joker-sama!_

"There you go." Fumito-dono patted her on the shoulder. "Master is agile, but you need to steel yourself against any attacks headed your way."

_Steel herself?_ Queen was inanimate cloth. "What can I-"

"A god and his shinki work in tandem. There's more to it than what appears on the surface," said Fumito-dono. He raised his free hand, pointing to the others as he continued to lean on her shoulder. "Watch everyone carefully. I'll help when the time comes."

Makoto nodded. She supposed Queen could be seen as a form armor. It was hard to compare a length of fabric to Junes' near full suit of leather and iron. Still, whatever guidance he could offer, she was glad to take it.

"Master." It was Kiyoto-dono. Snow continued to soar over a dense forest. It was tree tops and open skies in most directions, save one where the tell-tale fields of a farming village could be seen. "Since everything is normal, should we head toward a city?"

"No," said Joker-sama. "It's still Queen's first mission and we're a smaller team today."

"Understood."

Joker-sama leaned to the left. Snow followed, taking them on a large arcing turn.

Queen felt the wind breaking across her, her ties flapping in the air behind them. It felt cool but not unpleasant.

She took a deep breath and re-focused on her master and on Snow. Makoto had a sense of what they experienced too. Was this part of being connected as Fumito-dono had explained?

Turning her attention back to their surroundings, she noticed they were now heading the opposite the direction of the farming village. She was not sure in which direction the nearest city would be, but the others seemed to know where they were.

Just as they were finishing their turn, she noticed something in the far-reaching greenery below. Looking more closely, it seemed like the shadows were out of place for one particular tree. The growth in that area seemed older, closer to withering.

"Master..." Makoto stopped herself. She should have asked Fumito-dono first. It was so unlike her and yet she felt almost compelled to go straight to Joker-sama.

"What is it Makoto?" She could sense his brows raise underneath Queen.

"Is there something over there, by that old growth?" She was looking at it as Makoto, but somehow as her master at the same time.

"Let's see." He leaned. Snow leaned with him. Together they began their descent towards the strange shadowy tree.

Their approach was uneven. Several times Makoto found herself wanting them to correct their trajectory, but before she mustered the words, they managed to do it on their own.

"Oh? You're picking it up already," Fumito-dono spoke softly, as he didn't want to distract her. "How befitting of a Queen."

"Eh?" Makoto was about to ask him to elaborate when she realized they were nearing their target. It was too dangerous. This time she called out. "Please don't get too close!"

Snow landed on a high branch of a nearby tree. From her perch, the whole team could see them—ayakashi, tens of them. These ones were small, bird-like in shape, but were pitch black with an unnatural glow.

"Ayakashi..." Kento-dono muttered.

"How did she know?" asked Kiyoto-dono as she turned to Fumito-dono.

"An interesting ability..." Joker-sama mused.

"Let's not be too hasty," said Shigeto-dono. His raised voice seemed to boom. "Master, we must take care of these ayakashi before they spread."

"Agreed." Joker-sama unsheathed Bonds. The katana shimmered under the midday sun. "Snow, watch the sky."

"Understood!"

Snow extended her wings as Joker-sama leapt off of her. His sword sliced through several ayakashi as he fell towards the base of the cursed tree, the position of the blade adjusting ever so slightly to hit the core of each one.

When they landed, Makoto noticed that Kiyoto-dono was no longer with them in the void. Snow hovered over them, her wings casting a wider shadow than the mottled pattern created by the forest leaves. The few ayakashi that tried to escape to the sky were struck down by the massive swan.

On the ground, a larger group of the ayakashi started to swarm Joker-sama. He responded with a bevy of slashes before him, all the while side-stepping the ones that tried to flank him. The blade found its marks, though not as perfectly as it did when they had the element of surprise.

Makoto turned to find Kento-dono standing next to her, his jaw was clenched and his eyes were focused in front of him. His fists were tensing at his sides.

_A god and his shinki work in tandem._

So this is what Fumito-dono had meant. It wasn't only Joker-sama's prowess, but also the work of his shinki.

The ayakashi gave them no quarter. One managed to break through Joker-sama and Kento-dono's offense. It was headed for Joker-sama's stomach. Makoto turned to Fumito-dono, finding him pressing his lips together hard, his eyes narrowed. The bird-creature struck Junes's cuirass and was pushed back, allowing Bonds to slice it in two.

Perhaps this was what Fumito-dono had meant by steeling himself.

Had he been helping Joker-sama dodge as well?

Makoto took a deep breath. If any ayakashi came at her, could she repel them too?

She continued to watch as as the demon birds were split in twain. Sometimes two would be cleaved at once but other times a single ayakashi would take multiple hits, regenerating its wings if hit too far off center.

They were coming in too fast.

Makoto brought her hands together, watching each bird as it came for them and wishing each strike to more closely hit the enemy's core.

No further ayakashi passed through the shield of slashes. As their numbers depleted, it began to feel all the more routine. Not long after, the entire flock had been taken care of it.

"I think that's all of them," said Kento-dono. He took a breath and let his arms relax.

"I don't see any from here either," Kiyoto-dono's voice came from above.

"Makoto, do you see any?" asked Joker-sama.

She jerked to the straightest posture she could and swept her vision across the fields before them. "N-nothing."

"Good," said Joker-sama. She sensed him grin as he lowered his sword. "Looks like we got them before they could disperse to the nearby villages."

"Shall we move on then?" asked Kiyoto-dono. Snow was circling above them.

"Let's head home," said Joker-sama. "That swarm was large and it's Makoto's first outing."

"Understood." Snow descended into the forest, the thinner trees bending at the wind pressure generated by her wings.

Soon they were in the skies again. Joker-sama and Shigeto-dono were quiet. Her master's guidepost continued to keep to himself in the spiritual space where Makoto retained her identity. The others, however, huddled around her.

"Nice work," said Kento-dono with a nod. His close-lipped smile seemed warm.

"It was amazing how you picked out those ayakashi," Kiyoto-dono added.

"It was really you guys who took care of them though," Makoto closed her eyes. "I'm not much of a weapon or armor."

"There's more to battle than that," Kento-dono shook his head. "You should assert yourself more. My cuts got more accurate with your influence."

"Eh?" What was he talking about?

"And you corrected my flight path," said Kiyoto-dono, raising one finger in the air.

"What?" Makoto looked between the two shinki.

"Guys," Fumito-dono took one step closer. He grinned as he looked at her and then the others. "She doesn't _know_. Just think how she'll be with practice."

Kento-dono's eyebrows raised for a moment, disappearing under his silver locks.

"Hmmm," Kiyoto-dono looked down. "I suppose it wasn't exactly smooth."

Makoto thought back to earlier in their excursion. She didn't recall doing any of those things. "What are you guys-"

"A god and his shinki work in tandem, remember?" Fumito-dono slung his arm around her shoulder. She turned to find his face right beside hers. "All of us."

"You're all directing each other? At the same time?" Makoto's eyes were wide.

"Usually we're focused on the concerns of our vessel," said Kento-dono.

"And we try not to get in each other's way," said Kiyoto-dono, she leaned in next to him, her fingers laced behind her kimono.

"Master is managing it all, sometimes with guidance from Shigeto," said Fumito-dono.

"Come to think of it, it's strange how quiet Shigeto-dono was today," Kiyoto-dono briefly turned to look at the head shinki before returning to the group. "Was he also curious about Queen's abilities?"

Kento-dono's eyes slid towards the swan shinki. His voice was low. "Kiyoto..." 

"A~nyway..." Fumito-dono cut in, head turned towards Makoto. "Maybe because you don't have to worry about guiding Queen, you were able to focus more on everything else."

He released Makoto and shrugged.

"No, it's more than that," Kento-dono shook his head again. "It's like that vision ability she has allows her to react faster. I can tell she's right, so I adjust."

"That's how it feels for Snow too," said Kiyoto-dono.

"Master must be the same," Kento-dono put a hand on Makoto's shoulder. "You still need a lot of practice and we still don't know the extent of what you can do, but we'll all be here to help."

* * *

As Snow touched down in the entry to their home, Joker hopped off, releasing his shinki in the process. They appeared in their human form, surrounding Kiyoto, who transformed back last. Makoto, the new one, wobbled on her geta, her arms swinging out to keep herself balanced.

He should have warned her.

The others knew to anticipate.

"Thank you for your hard work," he said as he stood even with her, albeit facing the opposite direction. He placed his hand on her shoulder to steady her and smiled. "I look forward to seeing what you can do."

With that he continued walking towards his room. He heard a faint "eh" behind him, followed by a swishing of fabric. He turned his head, his left eye catching her finishing her spin and balling her fists by her chests. "Y-yes!"

_So nervous._

He gave a shallow nod and proceeded once more.

A blindfold that enhanced sight rather than diminished it. A curious ability. He had sensed Makoto would be a strong vessel. It had even come out in her name. Yet, he had gotten distracted by her form and her-

Shigeto's heavy shuffling steps interrupted his musings. The sound of the footfalls indicated the large shinki was running to catch up.

"Good timing." Sensing the argument, Joker took the initiative. He grinned. "Can you inform Bookkeeping that we'll be absconding with one of their clerks?"

"Is that wise Master?" One could almost hear the wrinkles forming between Shigeto's eyebrows. "It may have been a fluke. She got in the way during battle. Her name is in a revealing location. Her vessel must portend-"

"I appreciate your concern Shigeto," Joker closed his eyes. "But I sense her abilities are real, though crude at the moment."

Shigeto exhaled through his nose.

Joker kept speaking before he could interrupt. "Wouldn't it be nice to be fully focused on Principal? She can provide backup."

While Bonds was his melee weapon of choice, there were ayakashi that called for the brutal power of a heavy mace.

"It hasn't been a problem Master," Shigeto argued.

"Neither has Queen yet," Joker's grin returned. "If she becomes one, we can always revisit it later."

* * *

"That's great! Who knew you had a talent like that?" Hokuto was beaming up at Makoto. With her appled cheeks and toothy smile, she looked all the more like an innocent child rather than the senior of the pair. The two shinki were sitting on the walkway just outside their bedroom. "And Joker-sama said you'd be joining the hunting party?"

"His exact words were 'Thank you for your hard work. I look forward to seeing what you can do.' So... it wasn't _definitely_ an invitation..." Makoto couldn't temper her smile every time she replayed her master's praise, even as she was trying to simultaneously be mindful of Hokuto's feelings and even protect her own. She might be misinterpreting after all.

"All the more reason to work even harder!" Hokuto hopped up on her feet, balling her hand into a fist.

"Okay." Makoto giggled. She balled her hand into a fist as well and stared down upon her named etched upon it. When she looked up, Hokuto was staring out into sky, in the direction in which the hunting party would usually return, her bubbly smile replaced with a more pensive one.

A few minutes passed. Makoto wondered what she could say about the situation, but such ponderings were jumbled among memories of earlier in the day and fatigue from her first mission. She needed to get stronger, to experiment with her newfound abilities. What was it like for other shinki?

Hokuto wouldn't know.

Makoto frowned.

Just a day before, she had been in the same position as her friend, had the same longing to hear her name.

If a blindfold could be useful, maybe...

"Hokuto..." Makoto called, gripping the edge of the walkway as she leaned forward. The smaller shinki turned back to her. "What if other shinki have such abilities too? Isn't it dangerous to only focus on weapons? What if-"

"Joker-sama usually takes each shinki on at least one hunt, so they know what it's like," Hokuto's gaze didn't meet Makoto's. "He's just been a little behind recently..."

Makoto's response came quick. "But what if it's something that's missed the first time?" 

"Nothing like this has happened since I've been here," Hokuto turned to Makoto. "Have you seen anything like in your readings?"

"No," She shook her head. Most of the books in Sae-sama's library spoke of managing shinki or of their utility as weapons. Makoto didn't back down however. "But what if there's a weapon that's stronger than it looks?"

"Gods have a good sense for how strong a weapon is, Joker-sama especially," Hokuto shook her head. "At best, a pot lid would be used as a shield anyway. Can you imagine Joker-sama fighting with a _shield_?"

A breathy laugh escaped Hokuto's lips.

This time, Makoto turned away. "Then why-"

"It might be because Queen is regalia. Everyone was so focused on the blindfold aspect, we failed to see that," said Hokuto.

"Why would regalia be different?" asked Makoto. "Junes is armor. Wouldn't we expect him to be good protection?"

"He's armor without a helmet, but yes, among the regalia he's the most robust. There are others though, ones you wouldn't think of as offering much protection. They do though and Joker-sama calls them too," Hokuto brought a hand to her chin. "Maybe the scale for regalia is different. Queen is similar in material to some of Master's others."

"I see," Makoto nodded. Perhaps that explained Fumito-dono's actions earlier. "Fumito-dono told me to steel myself. He seemed to think I would be effective."

Hokuto smiled. "Fumito and Kento are nice. It's good they're there to look out for you."

"Yes, Kiyoto-dono too. They're all very supportive," said Makoto, smiling back.

"But don't forget they were all honed under Shigeto's direct guidance," Hokuto expression dropped and her eyebrows narrowed. "Sometimes they can't see his actions for what they are."

* * *

Sae sat on the porch outside her room, watching Kawakami and Makoto practice beneath the plum trees. This time, there were no borderlines or any other shinki techniques for that matter. Instead, they were swinging staves, repeating forms.

"Didn't work out as you intended, did it?" Lala mused. She stood at the sliding doors, just behind Sae.

"It did not," Sae grasped the tea cup from the tray sitting to her right, eyes remaining fixed on the shinki sparring some tens of meters away.

"In hindsight, I suppose we should have realized there was a significant possibility..." Lala continued talking as if Sae hadn't responded.

"Indeed." Sae took a sip.

"A shame. You had a name picked out and everything, didn't you?" Lala took a few steps forward, until she was just visible in Sae's periphery. "I don't think we'll be seeing less of her though. In fact, she's pulled even more books and now she wants Kawakami to teach her all sorts of things."

"All the more reason she would be better off here," Sae narrowed her eyes.

"We have no shortage of books, yes," said Lala. "I don't think that's all she's looking for though. She seems happier."

"For now," Sae took another sip. "I can't agree with that brat's methods."

"It's best not to get between a god and their shinki." There was no inflection in Lala's statement.

"I know."

* * *

Makoto watched carefully as Joker-sama let loose an arrow from their perch upon Snow's back. Concentrating, she could follow the shaft as it made its way to the target, both from her Master's point of view and that of the arrow itself. Was this how Hayato-dono experienced it too? His vessel, Hunger, embodied not only the arrows, but the bow and quiver as well.

It was only when they were out hunting that Makoto could truly learn the abilities of her comrades. Though Kawakami-san had been teaching her the basics of wielding various weapons, Joker-sama's clan was diverse. It would be long before she could catch up. Furthermore, her fellow shinki did not experience it as the wielder did. It was something much more innate to them. They could not teach her even they tried, as they would never think of brandishing their own form. Makoto needed to understand it on their level too, lest she just get in the way.

A few more arrows flew. The repeated ranged attack took out several small ayakashi, flying eyeballs with long tails that resembled a flickering purple fire. These weaker ones followed a bigger phantom, a giant paper lantern. Its face stretched across its height, the bottom half a large maw that chewed through anything in its path—in this case, storefronts along the main thoroughfare of a small village. However-

"Master, it's weaker on its right side." Makoto could sense her master's attention follow her own, focusing in on the area she sensed as glowing oddly. He nodded in understanding.

With the followers out of the way, Snow dove towards the ayakashi. Joker-sama drew Bonds, leaping to the ground while the phantom was distracted. Snow continued her assault from the air as their master began his litany of slashes from the ground.

Bonds was probably the vessel Makoto was most familiar with. It hadn't taken long for her to realize that Kento required only a light touch. He was already a strong fighter with good rapport with their master. A minimal correction to angle his blade, such that it sliced through even more of the lantern's folds, was all that was needed.

It helped that Kento himself was affable, hard-working, and unassuming. He had been the first to ask her to refer to him less formally. Working with him felt comfortable.

If only _he_ were Joker-sama's guidepost shinki.

Makoto dismissed the thought, turning briefly to Shigeto-dono, wondering if he could sense her dissidence. She renewed her focus, following Kento's blade through its final strikes. The ayakashi moaned as it collapsed downward, landing as concentric rings before being further compacted into seal of light and vanishing.

Joker-sama closed his eyes and took a deep breath as he lowered his blade. A moment later, all of them were released from their vessel forms, dispersing like comets to their positions around him in their human forms.

It would be easier to survey the damage and search for the injured as many independently moving sets of eyes.

Several of the buildings had collapsed in on themselves where the lantern's teeth had come down on their roofs. The living would blame the devastation on an unfortunately strong gust during the passing storm.

Makoto squinted, trying to discern what each building had been. Which were more likely to have people trapped beneath?

"What do you see?" Joker-sama asked from his position right beside her. She had been staring so intently, she hadn't noticed his approach.

"Nothing yet," Makoto shook her head. It would be nice if no one was injured.

"Keep looking."

She nodded.

"Everyone!" Joker-sama raised his voice. "Start digging! Prioritize finding the trapped or the injured!"

The shinki split up among the buildings, calling out for signs of survivors while removing debris.

"Is anyone there?!"

"Hello?!"

"Call for help if you're stuck!"

Normally, all but the most sensitive of the Near Shore wouldn't notice them. They existed in the blindspots of humans. Even their battle with the ayakashi would not reveal them. However, in this situation, where people were looking for help, their calls could reach and they would be perceived. After they parted, they would be quickly forgotten. Such were the interactions between spirits and the living.

Makoto lifted each broken plank and beam gingerly, checking the integrity of the remaining structure before discarding the rubble some distance away from the building. Fumito was a few buildings over, moving at a much greater pace. How he still had so much energy, she wasn't sure, but Kento appeared to be keeping him from doing anything too dangerous.

She reached down for the next length of board, but another hand got to it first.

Long slender fingers.

Flawless skin.

"Master!" Makoto turned to him, eyes wide. "You don't have to-"

"There's much to be done," he replied.

"But you should be overseeing us and-"

"I can easily do both," he grinned, the corner of his mouth nearest to her revealing the glint of his teeth. He picked up a particularly large and unwieldy fragment of wood. "See?"

His pace increased. Soon he was matching Fumito, though a lot less recklessly. To think, this was the master her fellow hunting team claimed spent so much time sleeping.

_"That's why he has permanent bedhead," Kiyoto had giggled into her kimono sleeve._

There was no way Makoto was going to fall behind. She was a proper, _useful_, shinki who served her master after all. How could she show her face to Hokuto if she let him do more work? She inhaled sharply through her nose and clenched her fists by her side before moving in with renewed vigor.

She thought she heard a muffled chuckle next to her. Whatever it meant, she wasn't going to let it deter her. She pressed her lips tightly together and grabbed the next plank.

Makoto had been worried about safety, but with her increased focus, she realized she had more spatial awareness than before. It was like every person, every building, was clear in her mind. If something were precarious, she had faith she would notice.

_Strange._

Was this because she was near Joker-sama?

As the clouds gave way, residents from the intact buildings came out. They too began to dig and clear with shovels and brooms in hand. Makoto wondered if anyone in the clan was a broom. It would certainly be handy to have such a shinki at times like these.

With even more hands, the work proceeded efficiently, with the debris piling in the street starting to look more voluminous than the remainder that was trapping people in their dwellings.

A young mother with three small children emerged from one of the sites. Her tired face managed a smile as other townsfolk plucked out each child, wrapping them in blankets as they made their way out.

Makoto couldn't help but smile as well.

Just as the mother was stepping out, Makoto noticed a standing beam, holding what remained of the roof of the next house over. Something was wrong. Before she realized it, she was rushing over to the two villagers who were clearing that site.

"Stop!" she called. The situation became clear to her. She had read something about this. There was too much sheer force on the beam. The roof was pushing it forward, the debris holding it back. It would either slip if they kept clearing or possibly snap. "That one's not safe."

"Oh?" A sturdy-looking villager who was hauling a rather large length of beam out to the street laid down his quarry and joined them. "The young miss has a good eye."

"She does." Joker-sama bore a clear-faced, close-lipped smile. Makoto hadn't realized he had followed her. She supposed it was only natural. He was their leader and she didn't have much experience speaking with the living. Still, she felt her chest swell with pride at his agreement.

"That beam there is about to give," the man continued, pointing at the one that had caught her attention. He put his hands on his hips. "That's going to take some extra work."

The two villagers who had been working there nodded. One spoke. "What should we do?"

It turned out the large man was a carpenter. He called his sons over to help. They set up temporary scaffolding to secure the area as they continued the search while the two original men moved onto another building.

Makoto returned to her previous site. Her master followed. He had been working in the same area.

"Maybe you should be the one overseeing," he said.

Makoto nearly dropped the plank she was holding. When he stated things so bluntly like that, she wasn't sure how to respond. "Oh no, I couldn't-"

"Catching that bad beam probably saved at least one of those men," he remarked as he gathered several broken segments of wood and part of what looked like a door.

"I've been surveying regularly," Makoto replied, glancing across the damaged side of the road as if to show him. She picked up a few more pieces as well before carrying them away.

Joker-sama walked with her. After they added their debris to the ever-growing pile, he spoke again. "Makoto, maybe..."

"Eh?" She looked up at him. Why had he trailed off?

He turned to look down the row of damaged houses. Shigeto-dono seemed to be directing Hayato-dono, but they were too far away to hear.

"It's nothing." He turned back to her and smiled.

She didn't know how to interpret that either.

They returned to the broken buildings and continued their search.

It was sunset by the time they finished.

"Hey Master!" Fumito called, one hand cupped by his mouth and the other held straight up, waving in the air. "We found the last one! Everyone's accounted for!"

_No one died. Thank goodness._

Makoto looked over her shoulder at her master. He was staring back at her colleague, his gray eyes clear and relaxed, just a wisp of a smile showing.

_He's relieved too._

It was curious, the relationship between gods and humans. What drove Joker-sama? Was it the wish from which he was born, so very long ago? Or was it a mandate beyond which could be understood by either gods or humans? Or was it something else?

What did he feel?

Makoto wished she could know.

* * *

Joker strolled through the darkened walkways of his estate, lantern in hand. Dim lights through shouji told him several of his shinki were still awake, but for the most part it was quiet.

The hunting party had gotten back later than normal, worn out from the aftermath of the ayakashi. He and Shigeto had agreed to postpone their usual status meeting for the next day, after they both had time to rest.

It had seemed like a prudent idea at the time.

Where fatigue would usually drag him into slumber, instead that familiar and pernicious unease tugged at him. Something wasn't right. It hadn't been for a long time.

And so he walked the halls in an unknown search.

At least it was quiet. The flood of shinki emotions seemed distant, almost like he was bathing in his spring.

Turning a corner, he noticed a pale glow spilling out from a door several rooms down.

The library.

How could Makoto still be awake after hauling all of that debris?

Curious, his strides quickened and soon he was at the entrance to the library.

He had been correct about the shinki, but not about her state.

Makoto was asleep at the table, her upper arms forming a pillow on which she rested her head. Strands of hair fell over her exposed cheek. To her right was an ink stone with a brush laid across it. To her left, a lantern and a small stack of paper.

Falling asleep in a library with a lit lantern... Sae's tree spirit had teased him about this proclivity of hers.

Joker walked over to the table, pulling out the seat across from her and sitting down. He glanced at the documents. They appeared to be a record of the day's battles.

Her calligraphy was mindful and even, adhering strictly to canonical depictions, no artistic embellishments. A unbiased observer would consider it dispassionate and amateur, but to Joker, it seemed to convey Makoto's care.

He considered dousing the lantern and leaving her, but that seemed like a dereliction of his duties. He should send her to bed.

"Wake up Makoto," Joker whispered as he reached across the table and ran the backs of his curled fingers across her cheek.

Her eyes fluttered half open. As he suspected, she was a light sleeper. He withdrew his hand and watched as she regained her awareness. Eyes opening full, she pressed her hands on the table, sitting straight up and staring at him. "M-master! What..."

Did she always wake with a start? While she frantically looked around, likely trying to recall what happened, he considered teasing her:

“_Sleep well?”_

“_I'm glad to see our library is as comfortable as Sae's.”_

“_Were you planning to cause a fire? Who knew the ayakashi wasn't the most dangerous lantern we encountered today?”_

...the last one was a bit lacking in finesse.

As amusing as Makoto's reactions tended to be though, this wasn't the time. Despite her catnap, when her gaze returned to his, he noticed the swollen, darkened skin under her eyes. It had been a long day... for all of them, him included.

"You should return to your room," he crossed his arms over his chest and leaned back into his chair.

"R-right. Excuse me..." She reached for her the loose pages before turning back to him. "I'll just finish this and-"

"No," Joker did not move, but Makoto seemed to jerk every so slightly. "It's late. There will be time tomorrow."

"But if I sleep I might forget," she argued, the skin between her eyebrows puckering.

"I don't think you will. You've already slept anyway. A few more hours won't hurt," he said. He glanced at her notes. "It looks fairly complete as is. Nice work."

"Thanks," she seemed to be worrying her lips together, not really looking at him.

Her hesitation felt strange. Did she not believe him?

He had meant it.

It had been rather nice, a relief even, to be able to rely on Makoto's abilities, to fight with added confidence there would be no surprises, to know someone so meticulous was giving things a second look.

"You know," Joker started, laying both his forearms on the table.

He paused.

Perhaps he shouldn't yet.

Just like earlier that day, he had not yet consulted with Shigeto. His guidepost wouldn't like this. However, in truth Joker had already made up his mind. There was little point in prolonging it. Makoto was staring at him, waiting for him to continue.

And so he did.

"The family, the estate, has gotten big enough... we could use some help overseeing things. I think you'd be good at it."

"Eh?" she blinked twice. "You mean like Shigeto-dono does?"

"Yes," he confirmed with a brief nod. "You'd be assisting him."

"I see," Makoto looked down at the table as she twirled a finger into her braid. When she looked up again she had a question. "Wouldn't Kento make more sense?"

"Kento would be good at it too," Joker agreed. "However, I think he prefers to help in less-structured ways."

"Oh." Makoto bobbed her head, like she was mulling over his explanation but accepting it. She exhaled slowly before inhaling and looking back at him. "How do I start?"

"See Shigeto in the morning," he said. "Until then, get some sleep."

He stood up from the table and made his way out of the library, confident she would follow his directive and return to her room as well.

Despite Shigeto's likely misgivings, more people watching over the clan would be a good thing. If there was something behind the disquiet Joker sensed, he wanted it found before any ill could befall those precious to him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to those of you who are reading and especially those of you who have reached out. I'm really happy knowing there are some who enjoy this fic with me. A special thanks to [Zinzanzelf](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zinzanzelf/pseuds/Zinzanzelf) for some wording feedback. 
> 
> Here's a [drawing inspired by this chapter (Twitter)](https://twitter.com/ShyPixieRed/status/1211693131424354304).
> 
> I'm writing regularly as work permits. The updates aren't fast, but the chapters are twice the length of my previous multi-chapter fic, so perhaps it's not quite as bad?
> 
> Best of wishes to all of you in this new year!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter mentions a P5R character in passing. I doubt it would spoil P5R even if you know Noragami really well, since nothing is a perfect casting, but as someone who took P5R spoilers quite seriously, I want anyone reading to know. 
> 
> (Also, yes, this means I have altered some castings in light of P5R. The previous chapters have no changed and any P5R characters will not appear for quite some time.)
> 
> The story thus far…
> 
> Japan, Edo Period
> 
> Makoto is a shinki, a divine vessel, serving the strongest battle god, Joker. The form of her vessel, "Queen," is a blindfold. Despite Shigeto, Joker’s guidepost shinki, believing her form inauspicious, Joker and the others discover she enhances sight rather than hampering it. She soon becomes a regular member of the group of shinki that Joker takes to hunt ayakashi, spirits that feed off the darkness in others. 
> 
> Joker continues to harbor concerns that something isn’t right. Recognizing Makoto’s talents extend to her human form, he invites her to act a deputy steward of their estate, hoping she’ll be able to see what he cannot. This is where we return to the story.

Joker descended the staircase from the main entrance of his estate, nodding to the few shinki he passed them on his way down. At the bottom Makoto stood straight, not a wrinkle in her kimono. He suspected she'd be waiting. The rest of his hunting party had yet to arrive.

"You're early," he said. The sky was a soft blue, not yet lit by the fully risen sun.

"As are you," she closed her eyes as she dipped her chin, opening them as she met his gaze with a small, knowing smile.

"I suppose I am," he grinned. He had been arriving early lately, hadn't he? There was something inherently peaceful about the early morning. It was free from the weight and chaos of the day. Observing the newest in his party was not unpleasant either. He raised his eyebrows at her. "Is that a bad thing?"

"N-no!" Her eyes opened wide and her shoulders jumped. She waved her hands out in front of her as her face turned pink.

Makoto had loosened up since he first named her, but she was still rather stiff. He almost felt guilty playing with her.

Almost.

"Not at all," she coughed into a balled hand, having recomposed herself. "I just want a chance to check on everyone before we head out. That's all."

Joker nodded. Of course she would. Makoto was a diligent shinki and her vessel's strength was in augmenting and guiding the others. Of course she would want to be aware of anything new to take into account.

With her eyes she was probably doing it without a word.

It was those same eyes he was hoping would find something amiss, find whatever it was that had been bothering him, that which he couldn't seem to put into words.

"How are you liking your new job?" Joker had asked Makoto to help Shigeto manage the estate. His guidepost shinki had been reporting everything like normal. Perhaps Makoto could see what he could not.

"It's... nice," she looked down, taking a few moments before she faced him again. "I'm getting to know the rest of the clan."

"Have you noticed anything out of the ordinary?" He tried to temper his apprehension. He didn't want her to see something that wasn't there.

"Well, I can't exactly say what ordinary is yet," she pressed her lips together, her eyes dropping briefly.

"Anything like that beam the other day?" He had sensed it then. It had come to her so fast, an intuition to an analysis to an explanation. That ability...

"Nothing," Makoto shook her head. "Um... If there was something like that, I'm sure the appropriate unit leader, or Shigeto-dono, would notice first. They have so much more experience and-"

"No." Joker narrowed his eyes and clenched his jaw. His hands balled into fists. They hadn't noticed anything at all. There had to be something. "I asked you do this for your own talents, not to just report what others already say."

She drew back, her lips still parted from before. "But I-"

He sighed. His interruption was followed with a near whisper. "You put too much faith in authority."

_It already killed you once._

* * *

Makoto slid open one of the doors to her old work area. Like before, the bookkeepers' chests raised, their heads turned, eyes wide and mouths slightly agape. When they recognized her their lips closed, their eyes drooped, and their postures deflated to hunch back over their tables.

_I'm not him._

She wasn't sure which made her feel more ill at ease: the disappointment directed at her by her former colleagues or the remembrance of holding those feelings herself. It had been a scant few weeks since she had sat at one of those tables, hoping their master would visit.

Had Shigeto-dono ever felt this way? He had never shown it.

Of course, Shigeto-dono had always been a member of the hunting party. He had never been in this position himself.

"I'm here to see the current numbers," Makoto looked over to the chief of bookkeeping, and her prior mentor, Hirohito.

He appeared as a slim man in his early thirties. His most distinguishing features were the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, the only such marks on an otherwise smooth face—an indication he squinted too much in life. Makoto's desk-mate had once told her his vessel was an ink stone.

"I have them here," Hirohito gestured to his own table. Makoto kneeled down next to him and began looking over the summary.

Revenues from shrines were consistent with previous weeks. The humans running them were not yet spending beyond shrine maintenance, but it was believed their behavior was due to saving for uncertainty rather than grift. Household inventories seemed stable as well.

"Is everything alright?" Hirohito leaned into the table, his hands clasped together. "Do you need me to elaborate?"

Makoto smiled. "No, your work is impeccable as always."

When Shigeto-dono used to visit, Hirohito would have to summarize things verbally. Makoto had been taught clan bookkeeping in this very room. She wondered if the other clerks appreciated the quiet. One or two would occasionally look up at her, but she knew not what to make of the slight downturn in their lips beyond their earlier disappointment.

"Has Joker-sama said anything?" There was a hesitancy in Hirohito's words. He seemed to grasp his hands together tighter.

Makoto stopped mid-page turn, the edge of a table of numbers held aloft between her fingers. She exhaled, eyes locked on a line she wasn't really reading. "I don't know. I report to Shigeto-dono."

The muted sounds of brushes being laid down and people shifting caused Makoto to glance up, catching several other clerks looking askance as she tried to interpret all of their expressions. When she turned to Hirohito, he too was making a sour face. Had he lived longer, perhaps he would have grown wrinkles at the corners of his lips next.

"I see," he said as if it was forced out.

"I'll ask." Makoto spoke a little too loudly, a little too quickly, for her own comfort. But... perhaps it wasn't a bad thing. Now that she had gotten to spend more time with Joker-sama, she was pretty sure he would take any matter with his shinki earnestly, even if it were out of turn. She could already imagine his clear, sincere eyes and open face...

Shigeto-dono probably wouldn't like her stepping over him like this, but... Joker-sama had suggested she was too deferential, hadn't he? Maybe it was time to go to their master directly. She looked Hirohito straight in the eye and affirmed her decision. "Next time I'll ask."

Hirohito smiled, though his eyebrows puckered and pressed down. "I would appreciate it."

* * *

Joker ran through the streets of the village, his sword drawn. Villagers were screaming, haphazardly fleeing—but not from him, they didn't see him. They were panicking due to the man he was chasing, the one with the knife who was attacking people indiscriminately.

Clouded around the man, unbeknownst to the humans, was a dark black mass, an ayakashi. Its amorphous form thinned to a tendril which connected to the man like an umbilical cord.

A safe path through the crowd seemed to glow.

Queen's calculations. She was becoming more bold in her direction of him, of the team.

He grinned, boring through the chaos with confidence, in sync with his shinki.

It wasn't long before he caught up. He aimed for the man's belly.

"Wait!" It was Makoto. "Are you going to-"

"It won't hurt him," Fumito rushed through the words.

Makoto yielded.

Joker sliced through the man. He fell to the ground. Pivoting, Joker turned his attention to the rest of the fallen spirit. He could feel Kento yearning to cleave it in twain.

And so he did.

The dark cloud dispersed.

Joker released his shinki. They stood among the crowd of people who were gathering around the unconscious man.

Makoto was craning her neck, trying to see. He had forgotten this was the first time she'd been privy to this kind of situation.

She approached Kento and the other shinki and asked, "Is he really okay?"

"He's fine. I only severed his connection to the ayakashi," said Kento as he brushed his silver bangs out of the way of his glasses. "He'll wake up soon enough."

"But you cut right through him," Makoto brought her hand to her chin, stared at the body, and frowned. She turned back to Kento. "Are vessels unable to harm humans directly?"

"We can, but we don't have to," Kento explained.

Makoto bit her bottom lip. Tension built up around her eyes. Joker could sense her anxiety.

_She's worried about telling the difference._

"Trust in us," Kento seemed to understand too. "It'll come naturally."

"We mostly let the living handle the living," said Hayato. The tall slim shinki nodded in the direction of the passed out man. Two constables had arrived and were kneeling by them.

"But it wasn't his fault," said Makoto, turning her head to Hayato. "It was the ayakashi."

"It was his own failings that allowed the ayakashi to take root," Hayato shrugged.

"It's not unlike shinki who sin to the point of becoming ayakashi themselves," Shigeto said while approaching the group. It was odd. His guidepost usually stood apart from the others. The shinki stopped in front of Makoto, staring down at her.

"I see." Makoto tightened her lips. They seemed to quiver anyway. "That makes sense... so the gods take care of the ayakashi, and the living take care of the living..."

"Not always," Hayato grinned. He seemed to lean over her. "There are some gods that will cut down _anything_."

Makoto's eyes widened.

"Don't scare her!" Kiyoto swatted at Hayato's upper arm.

"I'm not scared," Makoto's tone was soft. "I've read about... _things_... I just hadn't truly thought about _we_ being the ones to carry it out."

"It won't come to that." Joker rested his hand on Makoto's shoulder as he walked up beside her. She looked up at him, her eyes large and lips parted. He turned away, lifting his hand and surveying the crowd before him. The living seemed to have it under control. "It looks like we're done here. Let's go."

The rest of the hunt was uneventful. Soon they were back home.

As the other shinki dispersed with shallow bows, Makoto stayed back.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked.

"No," Makoto shook her head. "I was just wondering if you had any feedback regarding bookkeeping."

"Should I?" he questioned. "Is everything alright?"

"Everything is fine," said Makoto, wide-spread hands raised before her chest. Her fingers curled closed and her arms slowly lowered. "As I'm sure Shigeto-dono told you, the temples are being maintained and have small savings. Estate inventories are also doing well... but are there any changes needed? Is there anything else you would like them to work on?"

It was more than Shigeto usually told him and definitely more than Shigeto asked of him.

"For example," Makoto raised her index finger as she continued. "This is only something I was thinking, but it might be useful to compile comparisons to historical figures, rather than relying on experience alone. There's some slack at this time of year, so..."

It made sense. "Tell them to start doing so. And keep me informed of their progress. I wouldn't want them to be overburdened if it turns out to be fruitless."

"I will," said Makoto. She held one arm in another as she shifted her weight to one leg. "Though... you haven't visited in a while. Perhaps you could go to their office tomorrow and discuss the idea?"

_Oh._

Joker had visited with Shigeto in the past on occasion. He had yet to do so with Makoto. He had yet to find a comfortable schedule with her.

"Yes, we should do it together. Walk with me," he said as he began moving towards the entrance doors. "I want to hear more about the other departments as well."

"Of course," she looked up at him and smiled. There was no obligation behind it. No desperation to curry favor. When had she started smiling at him like that, like she was truly seeing him?

He tucked away the thought and continued walking.

* * *

Makoto skimmed the pages of a bound volume of observations of ayakashi. Surely somewhere in Sae-sama's great library there would be a description of what it meant to cut through the living, but not harm them. She trusted Kento, but not herself. It was better to be prepared.

"It's so nice today, why don't you read outside?" Lala-san was standing over her when Makoto looked up.

She had become so used to visiting in the evening, the thought hadn't occurred to her.

Joker-sama tended to conduct most business, whether it be managing the estate or hunting ayakashi, in the evening or early morning. He was often asleep in between. Her visits to Sae-sama had thus moved to midday. However...

"Would it be appropriate to take so many?" Makoto glanced at the spread of scrolls and books over the table.

Lala-san crossed her arms. "Are you really going to read them all?"

"I'm searching them for something in particular," Makoto's lower lip jut out slightly as she explained.

"And what is that?" Lala-san raised an eyebrow.

"How vessels interact with the living."

"Hmm..." Lala-san smirked. She floated around the table, picking up one of the books stacked by the edge and examining the cover. "Ecological Survey of Foreign Lands? That doesn't sound like it has much to do with shinki."

"Ah," Makoto looked down, feeling heat rising to her face. "I thought that maybe after I was done, I could read through a few of those others..."

Lala-san swatted Makoto on the head with the book, softly enough that it didn't really hurt. The plum tree spirit then sighed. "You never make it through everything you pull from the shelves."

Makoto looked across the table. Though she didn't take as many as she did when Hokuto was helping, it was indeed a lot. She _did_ tend to overestimate how fast she could read.

"Why don't you just take the one?" Lala-san waved the book she was holding. "You've earned it—and you can always come back for more."

Makoto glanced towards the windows. The plum trees that dotted Sae-sama's lands offered ample shade. She still had work to do, but it did seem nice out and she rather not say 'no' after Lala-san came all this way. "Okay."

The older woman handed her the book as she rose from the table. Makoto looked back at the pile. She had learned Sae-sama's classification scheme and offered to help re-shelve last time, but the god of scholarship had insisted she not, claiming having a guest perform work would be an embarrassment. They took their reputation seriously.

_Next time. Next time I pull fewer books._

As the two began traversing the inner hallways of Sae-sama's estate, Lala-san renewed their conversation. "So... settling into your new job? Is Joker-sama treating you well?"

"Yes," Makoto answered both questions. It was a polite and instantaneous response, one she would have given even if it hadn't been true.

She really had settled in though. She felt the team relying on her in battle more and more. She had a sense of how she could be improving things around the estate. She had begun taking walks with her master to go over things nearly every other day it seemed. She was much less nervous around him... though still unused to _quite_ how close they could be. It was natural as Queen, but as Makoto...

"What am I supposed to make of that red face of yours?" Lala-san had turned around, her hands on her hips.

"N-nothing!" Makoto brought the book she was holding up in front of her mouth, peeking over it to maintain eye contact. "I really have settled. Joker-sama is very kind. I was just thinking about how nice it all is. Really."

"I see," Lala-san covered her mouth with the sleeve of her kimono. She tilted her head, as if she were considering saying something else, but just shook it and resumed walking.

Makoto followed Lala-san outside towards the field where she often trained with Kawakami-san. From the path they took, Makoto could see the sliding doors to Sae-sama's room were open. At each side stood one of Sae-sama's shinki, wearing their traditional shrine clothes.

"Curious?" Lala-san asked, an amused smile crossing her lips as she once again turned back to face Makoto.

"Ah." Makoto looked down. It was shameful to stare or pry. "Sorry. It's just that I'm not usually here when Sae-sama has an audience. I hope my visit isn't burdensome."

She didn't add that she had gotten used to having tea with Sae-sama when she was in, which had been frequent of late despite the fact that Makoto didn't have time to visit as often. It was disappointing that the god was too busy this time.

"It's not," said Lala-san. She waved her hand in front of her chest. "It's just a spirit applying to be a shinki. She's rejecting him. It'll be over soon."

"Oh." Makoto couldn't imagine Joker-sama rejecting any spirit. The ones who came to their estate—the ones with enough experience to know both to approach a god and how to do so, unlike herself when she was named—those spirits were usually turned away by Shigeto-dono. She wondered if her master knew. "Does this usually happen?"

"Well, we do have strict standards," Lala-san grinned. "Of course, if _you_ were to apply..."

"You're always so kind..." It wasn't the first time someone from Sae-sama's estate had offered. It wasn't even the first time Lala-san had offered. Makoto was still searching for a polite response she felt comfortable with. Like usual, she tried to shift the subject. She glanced back at Sae-sama's room. "What do spirits who can't find masters do?"

"Wander until they find one... or become ayakashi themselves." Lala-san's lips fell to a grim line. She shook her head and sighed. "This one will have a tough time. He stung his previous master and was cast out."

Makoto tensed as if a venomous insect were crawling on her.

"Well maybe Maruki-sama, he'll take anybody," Lala-san had turned back around and continued on her way, unable to see the shinki's hesitation.

Makoto placed her left hand over her right, clutching it, as if she could shield the name on it from being revoked.

"Maybe that's why he's always reincarnating..."

Lala-san's voice seemed to fade away as Makoto imagined what it would be like... losing your name, being cast out... A nameless, solitary spirit had no protection from ayakashi, no clan to call a family, no connection to their former master. Shigeto-dono regularly warned them that it was standard procedure for shinki who stung their master.

If a shinki _sinned_, two things would occur.

First, it would _sting_ their master, resulting in _blight_. Mild cases would result in bruising, rotting flesh, similar to coming in contact with an ayakashi. In severe cases the blight would spread across the god's body. They would fall ill and possibly even die.

Second, the shinki would start to bear symptoms of transformation into an ayakashi, typically excess eyes would open across their body and they would show signs of blight as well, even in their vessel form.

While the blight caused by ayakashi could be purified with ceremonial water, blight caused by shinki required repentance and often some form of ablution. Makoto had read accounts of shinki being too far transformed to the point where the only option was to kill them.

The danger to the god was why so many took hard line policies towards their shinki when it came to sin.

Makoto swallowed. It seemed all too easy to mess up. "The spirit Sae-sama is meeting with... what did they _do_?"

Lala-san stopped what she was saying and turned back to Makoto. She paused, looking at the shinki for a moment before answering. "I only know rumors... But they say he became very jealous of his master's other shinki. He may have begun to lash out in some way."

"I see," Makoto managed to respond.

Despite all of Shigeto-dono's lectures, the bounds of sin remained mysterious to her. Maybe next time, she would search for more writings on that subject instead.

* * *

Joker walked swiftly through the hallways of his estate, taking long, purposeful strides. Shinki were stopping along his path, but he didn't have time for them. Something felt _off_, enough so that he couldn't sleep. Maybe he would find it, whatever it was. If not, he could at least burn the restlessness on a hunt.

As he rounded the entranceway to his manse, he noticed movement out by the gate.

Makoto.

She was probably returning from a visit with Sae.

He frowned.

That evil fox woman still had designs on his shinki.

The skin between his eyes wrinkled.

Was her estate really so much better than his?

Makoto slipped through the front gate, opening it just enough for her small form to pass through and slowing to ensure it closed softly. As she approached the entrance, her gait was even and sure and her gaze fixed in front of her. She didn't seem to notice him.

"Welcome back," he said as she passed him.

Her upper body jerked upward. It came down just as fast, the tips of her hair bouncing in the motion.

"I didn't mean to startle you," he grinned as she spun to look at him.

"Joker-sama!" her eyes were still open wide. "I'm sorry. I didn't notice. I-"

"It's fine," Joker took a few steps beside her. He tilted his head to point into the estate. "Where are you headed?"

"The library," she started walking, seemingly following his cue.

"Didn't you just come from one?" he matched her pace.

"Yes, but I have some things to recor-" she turned her head to him, still walking. "How did you know?"

"I know," he smiled.

Her eyebrows narrowed and her lips turned downward. When she made that face, her cheeks seemed to puff out just a bit.

He chuckled.

She turned back to the hallway before them and raised her hand to catch a brief cough. "Anyway... the craftsmen say they are on target to furnish the new wing in the next few months. I think they would appreciate if you dropped by to check on their progress."

"Mhm," he acknowledged. Lately Makoto had been reporting her managerial efforts when she saw him. Shigeto covered it in the morning briefing, but she often included details his guidepost omitted.

"And the atelier say they'll have basics ready, but it will delay production of new winter styles."

"That's fine."

"The carpenters will start regular maintenance on the roof next week. The inspection yesterday revealed no larger issues."

"Good."

"I'll fill you in on the rest later," Makoto came to a stop.

Joker stopped with her.

Looking up, he realized they had reached the library. He looked past Makoto at the shelves filled with books. "What did you read?"

"Eh?" she tilted her head slightly.

"At Sae's. What did you read?"

"Oh!" her lips lifted into a wide smile and her eyes seemed to brighten. "There was this book describing other countries! It was by a traveling naturalist. He even illustrated all the new plants and animals he discovered. Did you know in China they have bears that are black and white? They looked so cute in the drawings! They have white heads but black ears and big black circles around their eyes. Their bodies are white but their limbs are black."

Makoto was waving her hands in front of her, sometimes raising a single finger, sometimes drawing shapes with her hands. With each sentence she seemed to speak faster.

Perhaps...

"They're called bamboo bears because though they're bears, they mostly eat bamboo. Supposedly they're not particularly aggressive. I wonder if they're really so stark in their appearance. The drawings were in ink and-"

"Do you want to see one?" he asked.

She stopped talking and stared at him. He wondered if he should repeat himself, but eventually she replied. "But they live in China."

"That isn't a problem." Now he was staring back. He wasn't sure why.

"Can Kiyoto-"

"Not with Snow." He didn't want the distraction of a larger party.

"But how-"

"We can travel directly to any near shore temple or shrine dedicated to me." They usually traveled via Snow directly from the estate. Not all shrines had space for her to spread her wings. He supposed Makoto had yet to use the other method of transport, though surely she had been taught about it. "There are some in China."

Makoto squinted. "But is that really _you_?"

Joker rubbed the back of his neck. It was true that those weren't really for _him_ but rather for whatever incarnation of the idea of the god "Joker" existed in whatever system they had over there, but it should still work, shouldn't it? "No... but it _might_ still work."

Makoto brought her hand to her chin. She seemed to force out her words. "It could be dangerous."

Her brow wrinkled and she worried her lips together, like she was thinking hard.

_She really wants to go._

"Show me where they live." Joker walked past her and into the library. He pulled out a map and spread it across the table. "The worst that could happen is it just doesn't work."

Makoto followed him. She pointed to a region in the center. "The author... he was in this area at the time. But are you sure about-"

Joker grabbed one of her hands and smiled. "Let's go."

In an instant they were at the entryway of an unfamiliar temple. Stone statues of several gods were visible. To the west stretched a large bamboo forest.

It worked.

Makoto's head was darting every which direction, like she didn't now what to focus on first. He felt the pressure of her hand in his as she leaned and contorted for a better view.

"I wonder which one is you," she said as her eyes landed on the statues.

"This one," he pointed to the stone figure of an older bearded man holding an umbrella. There were lotus blossoms and a mongoose at his feet.

"How do you know?"

He shrugged. "I just do."

"Hmm," Makoto leaned in closer, examining the statue. "I suppose we don't capture your likeness too well at home either."

"Shall we?" Joker tugged her.

Makoto looked down at their joined hands. Her eyes widened, like she had just noticed. "Oh um-"

"Can you spot any of those bears from here?" He didn't let her dwell on it. He didn't let go either. Things felt... nicer... when they were close. Maybe it was due to the extra security that Queen afforded.

She looked over towards the forest and shook her head. "Maybe if we were higher up? I guess we should have come with the others..."

"We'll just have to search," he closed his eyes and breathed in. When he opened them, she was staring back, waiting.

She knew what he meant.

"Queen."

She slipped from his fingers, re-forming as a blindfold resting over his eyes and nose—silky, light fabric tied neatly in the back, partially nestled under locks of his hair. The tails of the blindfold hung down, resting against his neck. It was soft, comforting.

Her hand was quite soft too, wasn't it?

Joker took off, dashing between the bamboo shoots, leaping when he and Queen could identify a safe trajectory. There was a lot of ground to cover, but with Makoto's eyes, he was sure it wouldn't take long.

It didn't.

Queen's ability targeted a rustling in the distance. Joker hastened in that direction.

When they were within five meters of the bears, a mother and her cub, he stopped. Living animals were more sensitive to the presence of spirits than humans, but they were probably far enough away. Their status as foreign visitors with no malintent might make them even less remarkable.

Joker had Makoto revert, but kept her close, slipping his arm around her waist as she re-formed. Though they were unlikely to startle the bears, it was probably best to keep their profile slight and their conversations quiet.

Makoto didn't seem to notice or mind. Much like how she had used the leverage when they held hands before, she was shifting against his grip, leaning against his arm, trying to see around the tall bamboo pillars between them and the animals.

"They really are just like the drawings." Her bottom lip hung open and her eyes were open as far as they could. She was completely entranced them.

He wondered how they looked to her. It wasn't like he had seen bamboo bears before either, though he supposed he was vaguely aware of their existence through whatever tied him to his counterpart of this land. He watched as they pulled at and masticated thin leafy branches. They were interesting, but he couldn't match Makoto's full-bodied wonder. It filled his senses as well—something exciting and refreshing and even a little anxious swept over him, shoving aside his more rational reaction.

The larger bear stopped after consuming its current stalk and pawed over to the cub. As she neared, the younger one tackled his mother, wrapping his smaller arms around her larger one. The mother tried to shove aside her child with her free arm. She was momentarily successful, but the small bear started climbing up her side, gnawing at her ear.

Makoto inhaled deeply and turned to Joker, a huge smile spread across her face. She pointed at the bears. "Look! They're playing!"

Joker found himself smiling in return. The giddiness he sensed through her made him feel like he was floating.

"Do you think..." Makoto ran her free hand along a lock of hair by her braid. "...that we could get closer?"

"We could try." Should anything happen, he could re-summon Queen and take off.

Makoto slid from his grasp and began moving towards the bamboo bears in small, soft steps. He followed closely. She paused several times, watching for a few minutes before continuing her march forward.

When they were only a couple meters away, the mother looked up at them.

They stopped, awaiting their verdict.

When the mother turned away without incident, they interpreted it as acceptance.

"I wonder what their fur feels like," said Makoto as she moved closer still, a hand hesitantly reaching out. She bent her knees, the edges of her kimono mere centimeters from the ground, and continued to watch.

Joker stood a couple paces off, taking in the whole scene, both the bears and his shinki. The sun hung low in the sky, casting everything in a warm glow. It was probably dark in Japan. Where they stood, the beams of light were cut by the thicker bamboo shoots. Makoto continued crouching, watching, her face cradled in her hands.

Eventually, the cub took notice of her. He rolled off of his mother, took a few steps in the shinki's direction, and started sniffing. Then he lunged at her, his arms open. From her awkward position, Makoto couldn't dodge.

Joker was mid-step coming to her aid when he heard a happy squeal. By the time she hit the ground, she was full-fledged laughing. The cub was gripping at her arm, but she didn't seem to mind. She was patting him with her free hand.

"It's... coarser than I thought... it'd be," she said between giggles. She sat herself up while the bear continued wrestling with her arm and tugging at her sleeve. Dirt stained her kimono and she had dried leaves in her hair.

It was so unlike her typically composed and careful self. He felt the urge to pick the leaves out, one by one, and then mess up her hair anew.

Instead, he continued to watch from a distance. Makoto alternated between petting her new friend and playing more actively. She would grab him with both hands, and try to move him aside, especially when he started to bite, much as his mother had done. The cub was not one to give up and would double down on his efforts. The biggest difference was that Makoto had much less mass than the mother bear and often enough would lose her balance and end up rolling in the leaves with the cub.

After a few minutes, Joker realized the mother was resting next to him, keeping an eye on her family too. There was something serene about it. They must have looked like some sort of divine painting. A god and a majestic beast in a sunset-cast wood. He chuckled as he wondered how many such paintings secretly had a spirit wrestling with a baby bear just off frame.

He was just starting to wonder if they should head back before dark when Makoto jumped to her feet. She swiped her fingers before her. A wall of light rose from the ground. She stood, legs apart and slightly bent, arms active, staring across the boundary.

_She's fast._

Her borderline was resolute. He knew she was diligent, but it was only a short time ago that she had been tempering expectations regarding her skills.

Joker followed her sight line. In the distance, a black mass was approaching rapidly.

"What should we do?" Makoto asked. The bear cub was grabbing at her ankle. The mother uttered a high-pitched guttural howl. She seemed to understand something was up. The little one stopped what he was doing and returned to her.

"We should leave." He had no weapons. Furthermore, he didn't want to overstep in a land not his own.

"But what about them?" Makoto pointed her chin towards the bears. It appeared that the mother had begun heading away, her cub following her. "They might not recognize the danger. They're moving too slowly."

"It's unlikely an ayakashi would bother with them," Joker shook his head. "If anything, it would head to the closest village or after us."

"Okay," she nodded.

They ran back in the direction of the temple. Joker caught Makoto looking back over her shoulder multiple times. He wasn't sure if she was checking on the bears, the status of her borderline, or the movement of the ayakashi. Either way, her boundary wouldn't last forever. They had to move quickly. Fortunately she was keeping up.

She really had gotten quite strong.

They reached the temple without further incident and from there returned home.

It was night in Takamagahara, just like the land it governed. Even so, many shinki were still awake. Several windows and doors were lit throughout the estate. With the nearness of the clan came the murmur of their collective feelings and the weight of Joker's obligations. He hadn't been so cognizant of them during his adventure with Makoto. When had he last felt that way?

"Thank you." Makoto was looking at him. Though it was dark, the warm glow from the lamps caught the silhouette of her face and the moon lit her eyes. "I never imagined..."

Joker wasn't sure how to describe it either. "Me neither."

They stood a few moments longer, letting the passing of time say what neither could find words for.

Makoto broke the silence. "I should get going. I don't want to keep my roommates up."

Joker nodded.

"Good night," she bowed and turned toward the door.

"Good night, Makoto."

* * *

"Laundry is requesting more hands to deal with household growth," Makoto reported as she and Joker-sama took their regular evening walk. It was a changing route. Each time she made sure to take him to a group he had not seen recently. They were just returning from inspecting the grounds for today's meeting. "Some of the newer shinki can be moved from general housekeeping without burden."

It was nice not being the newest anymore.

"Good." Joker-sama gave a brief nod.

"Mineto wants to acquire more chemicals and more books to update our medical practices since there's been a lull in injuries, fortunately," she continued. "I can setup a budget with bookkeeping."

"Please do so." Joker-sama usually approved her suggestions. She had been working hard to keep it that way. He turned to her and smiled. "That lull is due to Queen."

"Thank you," she returned his smile. "But we're all improving—and I don't think Queen has had a hand preventing accidents at the forge for instance."

Joker-sama had a lot of shinki after all.

"Who's to say?" he shrugged and turned his attention back along their path.

She wasn't sure how to respond, so she returned to business. "Gardening wants to plant more bushes in some of the barer courtyards. I thought they were going to ask you today, but I think they forgot."

It wasn't surprising. They were so excited to show Joker-sama their work and have him tour the grounds with them. It would be hard to switch to a more mundane topic.

"I'm sure it will be lovely," he said as they rounded the corner of one of the extents of the estate. In doing so, the edge of his hand brushed against the edge of hers.

It had been happening a lot lately, especially when they were far from the others like this. His pinky finger would curl around hers, dragging it with him an extra step, and when her finger finally slipped through he'd look over at her with a mischievous grin, like he had just gotten away with something.

This time, she curled hers as well. It was only for a moment. Their arms swung apart not long after.

She couldn't look him the eyes though. Logically, she shouldn't get so embarrassed. Queen rested directly against his skin after all. (Not to say she didn't also find that _pleasant_.) However, these little moments in her human form... she could feel her heart pounding into her chest, tight and echoic and fluttery and satisfying and anxious all at once.

Was it really okay to feel this way?

All shinki felt kinship with their master. Those that didn't found new ones. Across the clan, everyone sought Joker-sama's attention. Wasn't she the same?

_It's not the same._

A shameful truth.

Makoto took a deep breath. When she looked up, Joker-sama had a strange, but mirthful smile on his face.

It was nice.

Perhaps that was enough.

* * *

"Every time I visit this place it just gets bigger," Ryuji, one of the seven gods of fortune and arguably Joker's closest friend, declared. He wore a simple tied shirt and matching short pants, as if he were lounging in his own house. As usual, his pet rabbit rested on his left forearm.

_Do you really need a tour each time?_

"I have a lot of shinki to house," Joker replied. They were finishing a walk through the new wing. It was busy. Doors were being installed. Closets were being finished with shelves and stocked with linens.

"Too many shinki," Ryuji stretched his neck and rotated his shoulder a few times. "Do you even remember all their names?"

"Of course I do." If the others were there, undoubtedly someone would tease Ryuji about a small mind and a small memory. Joker almost said it himself, finding his friend's ribbing more annoying than usual. It didn't help that he had to be so _loud_ about it, especially in front of his clan.

He led Ryuji outside, where the god's volume was more appropriate. Though there were plenty of shinki outside, tending the landscaping, taking shortcuts between wings, or indulging in hobbies, the grounds were vast enough to offer some privacy.

"Ah what a day," Ryuji stretched out his free arm, as if his fingers could grasp the bold blue sky. "It makes me want to just run laps around this ridiculous estate of yours."

Ryuji was always like this in the face of wide open land.

Joker on the other hand only felt sleepy under the midday sun. Perhaps he could nap under a tree while his friend ran his fill.

That wasn't why he invited him over though.

"Hey Ryuji," Joker started. His friend looked over to him, eyebrow raised. "Have you ever felt like one of your shinki was _special_?"

"Whaddaya mean? They're all special," Ryuji shrugged. "You know that."

"No, not like _that_," Joker sighed. It was hard to put it into words.

"You mean like _hafuri_ special?" Both of Ryuji's eyebrows were raised. "Whoa..."

"No, not like that either." Hafuri were shinki whose vessels had evolved into a much stronger form. Only a few were known to exist and the conditions for becoming one were not well understood.

"Damn," said Ryuji. "I've always wanted to see one."

Joker disregarded his friend's pouting. "I mean... special like you want to hear their thoughts, spend-"

"Isn't that just your guidepost?" Ryuji ran his free hand over his rabbit. The small animal closed its eyes and stretched its head forward, presenting itself for further petting.

"No," Joker clenched his jaw and closed his eyes tight.

Why was this such a headache?

Oh.

Right.

Ryuji kept interrupting him.

He inhaled and exhaled, composing himself before trying again. "A shinki that you enjoy spending time with, more than the others... and you think about them often... and you want to see their reactions... and... how do I put it..."

Joker looked up towards the empty sky, as if the answer would be there. When he glanced back at his friend, Ryuji was looking straight at him, his eyes wide, brow furrowed, and mouth agape.

"What?"

Ryuji's eyebrows pinched further. "Joker... are you in _love_? With a _shinki_?"

It wasn't a question he wanted to hear. Not that. He felt the look of disgust on his friend's face viscerally.

"I don't know," he said through grit teeth.

"Dude, you know that's forbidden." Ryuji often didn't know when to stop. "I mean, a _shinki_? Ew."

Joker understood though. Who could imagine a _shinki_ in _that way_? It just seemed wrong. Shameful. And yet...

"I said I don't know. I don't know if it's that," he repeated. He clenched his fists at his side. His next words came out mumbled. "And it's only forbidden if you act on it."

At least, it seemed that way. Joker hadn't heard of a case where the mere thought was disallowed by the heavens, whatever other problems that might cause.

However, it wasn't just about what the heavens would allow. He firmly believed it too. Gods held power over their shinki. Most shinki revered their gods. It was unclear if a truly romantic relationship could exist at all, much less one that wasn't coercive. Even started in good faith, the day might come when the god wielded his power to all but force the shinki to submit.

The thought made him feel sick.

"You could just release them," said Ryuji. It felt like his friend was watching him closely. He spoke more slowly than usual and kept his tone soft. "That's what you do when it's the other way around."

That was what you were _supposed_ to do when a shinki liked you a little too much, before it could cause any trouble. There was no rejection quite like having one's name revoked. Joker never did though. He couldn't just abandon one of his family. Instead, he just redirected their advances, focused on their feelings and support within the _clan_—a gentle but firm rejection that spared their feelings as much as possible. They eventually got over it.

"If it's someone you like, they'd probably have no trouble finding a new master," Ryuji continued.

It was a reasonable idea, but...

A vision of Sae's gloating face flashed in Joker's mind.

He shook his head as if it would dissipate.

No.

Definitely not.

"Hmm," was his only response. He stared out over the grounds. It wasn't like it was _love_. It was just _special_. That would be okay, wouldn't it?

"So which one is it?" asked Ryuji.

"Eh?"

"Which shinki is it?" he took a seat in the grass, letting his rabbit roam. There was a sparkle in his eye. It certainly didn't take him long to go from horror to amusement.

"That doesn't-"

"Oh! Is it that one?" Ryuji pointed at Hisato, one of the shinki maintaining the hedges. Even at a distance, she was recognizable by her voluptuous figure and voluminous dark twintails.

"What? No-"

"Oh what about that one?!" Ryuji next pointed at Ayato, a slim, but well-proportioned young woman with light brown hair pulled back in two half ponytails. She was carrying washbasins across the yard.

"Ryuji, it doesn't-"

"Hmm No?" Ryuji's gaze shifted back and forth across the field before settling on a direction. He grinned. "What about her?"

This time he was pointing at Iito, one of his newer shinki. She appeared to be practicing borderlines. The curvy shinki's double braids flew as she swept her arm forcefully, though no line appeared.

"Ryuji." Joker sighed.

Why had he invited Ryuji?

"Look," Ryuji's playful smile fell. "Whoever it is, if it comes to it, I'll take 'em. No questions asked. They don't got to do nothin'. You won't have to worry."

Oh. That's why.

No matter how much fooling around he did, at the end of the day, no one was more caring, trustworthy, or loyal than Ryuji.

However, he wasn't ready to give up his shinki.

"Sit down," said Ryuji. He clasped his hands together in front of his face, his elbows resting on his thighs. "You look tired. You're makin' me nervous."

Joker complied, lowering himself to the ground and sitting cross-legged like his friend. The rabbit hopped over to him, sniffing at his knee.

"Think maybe it'll go away?" Ryuji offered.

"I don't know."

_I don't know I want it to._

"Have you talked to Chihaya?" One of Ryuji's eyes was squinted shut and his head was tilted up. "They let her get away with it."

"They let her get away with it in exchange for laying low, for only keeping one shinki. They're afraid of her." Joker didn't know the god of poverty very well, but hers was a special existence. It wasn't the same.

"No not like that. You know I know you better than that. This ain't about the heavens," Ryuji scratched the back of his neck. "I mean, ask her how she makes it work, how she makes it _okay_."

"From what I've heard, Chihaya and her shinki act like eternal newlyweds. It's not the same," Joker looked away from his friend, focusing on a random spot on the ground. "I don't even know what this is. It's not as serious as whatever she's doing."

"Whatever it is," Ryuji tore out a single blade of grass. "It's serious enough that you asked me about it."

* * *

"And then, Kiyoto went for its eyes, allowing Joker-sama and Kento to finish it off." Makoto illustrated, using her left hand to represent Snow swooping in and her right to emulate Joker-sama's lunge.

Hokuto nodded, but her eyes were fixed on the kimono she was was mending. The two shinki were sitting in their shared room, the sliding doors open to their courtyard. A few of their other roommates were similarly tidying their belongings. Every now and then Makoto caught one looking at her. She hoped she wasn't being too loud in her excitement.

It felt like Makoto rarely got to talk with Hokuto lately, between hunts, visits to Sae-sama's library, and helping with the estate. She still contributed to keeping their room and courtyard tidy, but lately even that had gone quicker than normal, with little interaction. She suspected Hokuto and perhaps others were proactively cleaning, having once arrived late after a hunt to find her small friend sweeping the walkway in front of their room.

"Oh, and I drew my first borderline in the field!" She almost forgot to mention it. That time hadn't been a hunt after all...

"How was your aim?" Though Hokuto's gaze remained directed downward, Makoto could still see her amused smirk.

"Uh... not perfect," Makoto ran a few fingers through the lock of hair hanging over her braid.

"Did it prevent your opponent from getting to our master?" Hokuto asked, pulling the needle through the stitch in one swift stroke, the thread taut behind it.

"It did," Makoto smiled.

Hokuto looked up. "That's all that matters!"

"I suppose you're right," Makoto's smile broadened. She brought a hand to her cheek. Somehow it all felt embarrassing.

"That's why I told you aim comes second," Hokuto said as she returned to her sewing. "So, how was it? Did it come naturally?"

"Yes. It was easier than practice. I think it's because there was an actual threat to Joker-sama. All I could think about was stopping it." She balled her fists tightly as they rest on her knees.

Hokuto paused, her needle only pulled half-through.

"Oh! Of course, it was probably easier due too all that practice," Makoto raised her hands, fingers spread. "Thank you so much for teaching me."

"Of course!" Hokuto looked up again. Her grin pressed her cheeks outward, further exaggerating her child-like face.

"Speaking of training, do you want to practice binds?" asked Makoto. "I think I have a handle on that invisibility skill too if you want to try it."

"Yeah," Hokuto's eyes shined as she put the kimono down. "That'd be-"

"Makoto!" The sound of sandals hitting the walkway preceded the appearance of Kiyoto, her long dark tresses flouncing behind her. "There's been a sighting near one of the shrines. We're going to check it out."

"Ah." Makoto started to rise, but then stopped, turning back to look at Hokuto.

"It's fine," Hokuto's brow puckered as she smiled. She picked up the kimono. "It can't be helped."

"Thanks Hokuto," Makoto said as she stood and smoothed out her kimono. "Next time?"

"Yeah," Hokuto's face dropped back to her mending. "Next time."

* * *

Joker stepped out of his hot spring and began the short walk to his bedroom. The cool evening air was a change of pace from the enveloping warmth of the water. Just as he was beginning to feel cold, Shigeto wrapped a robe around his shoulders and held each sleeve so he could slip his arms through.

The mustard-clad shinki then jogged over to the sliding doors leading into his suite, making sure they were open to invite him in. Shigeto stood by the doors, watching him closely, but saying nothing.

_Odd._

"I'm turning in," Joker said as he tied the robe at the waist. He barely kept himself from nodding off as he walked. Despite his time in the spring, his neck ached. Something was wrong, but when he started to think about it, he found himself losing his train of thought.

"Y-yes, master." Was Shigeto's response late? He could feel the portly man's beady eyes staring into his back. It was all very odd.

Joker all but threw himself on the futon once he reached it. As he drifted off, he was vaguely aware of Shigeto closing the doors and rushing out of the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wishing you all health and safety! Here is a [chapter-inspired drawing of our shumako pinky hooks (twitter)](https://twitter.com/ShyPixieRed/status/1287778341169139712).
> 
> 2020/07/28 - Thanks to [Zinzanzelf](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Zinzanzelf/pseuds/Zinzanzelf) for pointing out a typo. Now fixed!


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